Ahmedabad, July 27, KDC: Five journalists from Jammu and Kashmir are among a select group of media professionals participating in an 11-day capacity-building programme on National Security Journalism that commenced on Monday at Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU) in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
Organised under the aegis of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the residential programme will continue until August 6 and aims to enhance journalists’ understanding of national security issues while promoting accurate, responsible and informed reporting.
The five participants from Jammu and Kashmir are Sheikh Saleem, Muneeb-ul-Haq, Syed Rizwan Geelani, Suhail Khan and Waris Fayaz.
According to the organisers, the inaugural day featured three sessions focusing on broader dimensions of national security journalism and its growing significance for journalists reporting from conflict-prone and strategically sensitive regions.
The discussions focused on the evolving role of media in addressing contemporary national security challenges, with particular emphasis on issues concerning Jammu and Kashmir.
Addressing the inaugural session, RRU Vice Chancellor Prof. (Dr.) Kalpesh H. Wandra said the programme has been designed to develop journalists capable of reporting on India’s national security with accuracy, responsibility and strategic understanding.
He said the course combines expert-led lectures, interactions with security practitioners, case-based learning, practical reporting tools and structured field exposure to provide participants with a comprehensive understanding of security-related issues.
Prof. Wandra said the training will cover defence, internal security, terrorism, border management, coastal security, cyber threats, public order, disaster management, critical infrastructure and other dimensions of national security.
Welcoming the participants, RRU Dean Academic Dr. Jasbir Kaur Thadhani said the programme will also include visits to key national security institutions, providing journalists with first-hand operational exposure.
She said national security reporting has assumed greater significance in the digital era, with media playing a crucial role in shaping public understanding and perception during security-related developments.
Dr. Thadhani also highlighted challenges posed by the rapid expansion of digital platforms, saying they have accelerated the spread of misinformation and hostile narratives, making responsible and fact-based journalism increasingly important.
She said the programme seeks to equip participating journalists with domain knowledge, contextual understanding and verification skills required to report on national security issues accurately and responsibly while contributing to informed democratic discourse. (KDC)
