Wednesday 13 June 2012

"THE TELEGRAPH" (METRO) REPORT ON ORATIO 2012

Debate on media merits

Students of 13 city schools displayed their oratory skills at Oratio 2012, the 17th inter-school elocution competition organised by St. Anthony’s High School.
The topic of the contest was “Does the media inform or deform young minds?” “Media plays a crucial role in society and such discussions make students aware and provide them with the right knowledge about media,” said Father Devraj Fernandes, the headmaster of St. Anthony’s High School, Market Street.
Students spoke about how media could be a menace as well as a messiah. “Life is a fabricated story today, we are not just the target but active participants in mass media. It is because of media that Anna Hazare’s anti-corruption drive garnered so many supporters,” said Samudra Basu, a student at Don Bosco.
“Reality shows plant false ideas in our mind,” said Sagnik Bhattacharya, a student at Apeejay School.
Students also spoke about the role of social media in the recent Arab Spring and the Keenan-Reuben murder case. “Media helps shape and mould our personality,” said Ankita Poddar, a student of Loreto Day School, Dharamtala.
The contest was judged by Salil Biswas, the editor-in-chief of academic journal Pegasus, Buroshiva Dasgupta, the programme director of development communication, Institute of Development Studies, Calcutta University, and Santanu Majumdar, associate professor of English at Calcutta University.
Sparsh Agarwal of Don Bosco, Park Circus, was adjudged best speaker and Oindrilla Shaw of Loreto Day School, Sealdah, and Aditya Prasanna Bhattacharya of St. Xavier’s Collegiate School came second and third respectively. Don Bosco, Park Circus, won the championship trophy.
Satish Kapoor, one of the founders of Punjabee Bradree, was the chief guest and Charlotte Simpson Veigas, senior lecturer in education at St. Xavier’s College, the guest of honour.

1 comment:

  1. TAPAS K. DUTTA28 June 2012 at 09:39

    From:
    Tapas K. Dutta,
    37, Raipur-II, Kolkata-700 084.

    Date: June 23, 2012.

    To
    Father Devraj Fernandes,
    Head Master,
    St. Antony’s High School,
    19, Market Street, Kolkata – 700 087.

    Sir,

    I refer to the 17th Inter-school elocution competition organized by your school. The topic of the contest was – “Does the media inform or deform young minds?” I am thankful to all of you for selecting such a burning topic for discussion.

    In my nine year-long crusade against ”Corporate Tyranny”, which is the biggest menace before common Indians at this moment, I have realized that instead of becoming messiah, Indian Media have become touts of corporate. In fact it is the shoddiest pillar of Indian Democracy. They do not want to expose the criminal face of terror corporate, who are silently stealing the luck of ordinary Indians in the garb fake developmental policies. Some media persons are so abhorrent that they even dare to sell the distress of the people to financial mafias.

    I am son of a freedom fighter. I have great expectations from the young minds. They have every right to know that even after 65 years’ of Independence common people are yet to taste the democratic rights as mentioned in the preambles of Indian Constitution. I feel sad for them because very few hon’ble persons live in this out-of-the-way country and Indian Media do not allow them to know about those great personalities. I annex hereto the copy of my letter to media persons who judged the competition! I hope that my dear students will be able to siphon off my message from the letters. Kindly forward copy of the letter to the participating schools and oblige.
    I enclose, herewith, typical exhibits as Annexure-1, 2 & 3 to show how openly the notorious electricity licensee of Kolkata cheats innocent citizens. And no Sh. Salil Biswas, Sh. Buroshivo Dasgupta or any other media person have guts to make news against the authorities of cheating corporate, who are worst than street thugs. Indian journalists are either touts of corporate or spineless. They see eye to eye with one another. But they do not know that “When the days of reckoning arrive none can save the demons.”

    Thanking you once again,

    I remain,

    Sincerely yours,



    Tapas K. Dutta.

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