24/05/2023
Glimpses of North East PR Conclave 2023 held in collaboration with Dr. Bhupen Hazarika Regional Govt. Film and Television Institute on 20th and 21st May.
DAY -1
The first day of the 2-day North East Public Relations (NEPR) Conclave took off to a flying start at the Dr. Bhupen Hazarika Regional Government Film and Television Institute (DBHRGFFTI) in their Changsari campus at the outskirts of Guwahati.
The theme for this year’s conclave was Creativity, Sustainability and Public Relations.
The Conclave was inaugurated by Dr. B. Kalyan Chakravarthy, IAS, Principal Secretary, Deptt. of Cultural Affairs, Govt. of Assam in the presence of Dr. Ajit Pathak National President, Public Relations Society of India, Ms. Minakshi Das Nath, ACS, Director of Cultural Affairs, Govt of Assam, Chairperson PRSI Guwahati Chapter, Ms. Madhuchanda Adhikari, and a host of distinguished guests, members of PRSI, faculty and students of DBJRGFTI and various other institutes from Guwahati and Shillong.
Welcoming the guests and participants, Chairperson PRSI Guwahati Chapter put into perspective the theme for the Conclave. Director ( Cultural Affairs), Govt of Assam in her address stressed on the relevance of listening and observation as a tool for good PR. She shared her intention of developing DBJRGFTI to a world class institute. National President PRSI appreciated the win-win collaboration of PRSI Guwahati Chapter with DBHRGFTI and hoped that the meaningful deliberations during the conclave will be enriching for the participants. Chief Guest in his address underscored the importance of good PR sharing anecdotes about how attitude to situations makes a difference in our professional as well as personal journey.
The inaugural session was followed by the first technical session on ‘Promoting Regional Cinema in OTT Platform’ by Dr. Amrita Goswami from a Mumbai film Industry OTT platform where she shared how OTT platforms decide on the contents to be broadcast. She also stressed that viewership from a particular region is the main factor on which the acquisitions and original contents are sourced. Also, a good storyline and how it is narrated greatly influence viewership.
The second technical session was address by Manipur’s National Award Winning filmmaker Haobam Pawan Kumar on ‘Challenges and prospects in a changing environment in Film Making’ where he shared his journey as a film maker and advised the students of filmmaking to focus on their interests and be very sure of their goals. He also shared the various opportunities available in India for new and upcoming filmmakers.
Thereafter, a panel discussion was conducted on ‘Leveraging Technology in Regional Cinema’ with Dr. Amrita Goswami, Haobam Pawan Kumar and by HoD Audiography and Sound, DBJTGFTI Faruk Iqubal.The session was moderated by well known film writer/director from Meghalaya, Dominic Sangma.
DAY -2
The 2nd day of the Conclave was graced by Jadav Payeng, the Forest Man of India. The day began with a tree plantation drive led by him at the DBHRGFTI campus , Thereafter, he enthralled the audience with his life’s journey from childhood when planting trees had become his mission, sharing interesting anecdotes in the session on ‘Promoting sustainability through films’. The session was moderated by noted documentary film maker Sanjib Parashar who has captured the work of Jadav Payeng in an award winning documentary and Surajit Sinha Roy, Joint Secretary, PRSI Guwahati Chapter.
In the subsequent session, noted environment activist Mr. Rituraj Phukan shared his thoughts and perspectives on the theme, ‘ Using sustainable practices film making’ in a session moderated by Ms. Sita Baruah, Secretary, PRSI Guwahati Chapter. Mr. Phukan reflected on how going back to traditional practices and habits could help rebuild the earth.
The valedictory session featured popular film maker and youth icon Kenny Basumatary who shared his experiences as a filmmaker, what drives his passion for film making and slices of life that influence his creative triggers. The session was moderated by Ms. Ruma Chakravarty, Vice Chairman, PRSI Guwahati Chapter
