GCW M A Road marks 75 years with memorial lecture series

Srinagar, Mar 16: To mark its 75th anniversary, Government College for Women, M A Road, Srinagar has started Mehmooda Ali Shah Interdisciplinary Lecture Series in honour of the legendary principal who headed this premier institution for two decades from 1954 to 1974.

A statement of the GCW M A Road issued here said that the maiden event of the series was marked by a special documentary screening and lecture on environmental conservation on March 15. The event was organised by Department of Environmental Science and the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication.

Documentary filmmaker, Abdul Rashid Bhat from the Educational Multimedia Research Centre (EMRC) University of Kashmir was the resource person for the programme which was attended by students of Environmental Science and Journalism besides faculty members of the college.

The programme began with the archival video featuring Mehmooda Ali Shah in which she narrates the circumstances under which the college came into existence, the vision and mission of its founders and the challenges faced in its early years.

Announcing the launch of the Mehmooda Ali Shah Interdisciplinary lecture series, Principal of the college, Prof Yasmeen Farooq Khan said, “The memorial lecture series has been named after our pioneering principal whose contribution in promoting academic excellence and institutional growth has left an indelible mark on the educational landscape of the region.”

She appreciated the Department of Environmental Science and the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication for taking the lead in organising this lecture under the theme of Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability.

“Your efforts in promoting environmental awareness and sustainability align with Mehmooda Ali Shah's legacy of community service, and as a college, we are committed to promoting environmental awareness and sustainability,” Prof Yasmeen said.

She spoke about the role of mass media with respect to environmental conservation and emphasised the need to leverage the power of media and environmental documentaries.

She also impressed on the students to become the ambassadors for environmental conservation.

Two documentaries titled ‘Climate Change: Threat to Future Generation’ and ‘Mission Ehsaas: Wetlands Ecosystem Restoration’ were screened during the event following which Abdul Rashid shared his experiences related to environmental conservation.

He underlined the need for collective efforts for environmental conservation, citing the example of ‘Mission Ehsaas’, an initiative led by a citizen group, which focused on restoring the major water bodies including Gilsar and Khushal Sar in Srinagar.

Sharing anecdotes from his personal intervention for the cause of the sustainable environment, he emphasised the role of mass media in highlighting not only the problems but also the solutions to tackle issues like waste management.

Besides these documentaries, a music video capturing the different seasons of Kashmir made in collaboration between Rashid and three-time Grammy Award winner Ricky Kej was played during the session.

Earlier, Head of the Department of Environmental Science, Asiya Nazir Khan spoke about the pressing need to raise awareness regarding environmental conservation.

She also shared some of the initiatives taken by the college in this regard.

HOD Journalism and Mass Communication, Suhail Ahmad spoke about the role of mass media in shaping public opinion on immediate and long-term threats posed to the environment. Abdul Rashid was felicitated on the occasion in appreciation of his work towards environmental conservation.