Early Times Report
Jammu, Sept 21: Press Club of Jammu in its initiated annual feature Ashok Sodhi Memorial Awards for Best Photography today declared and adjudged six photojournalists as winners. The winners of best photography were Rakesh Bakshi (First) from Daily Excelsior, Sanjay Gupta (second) from Amar Ujala and Amarjeet Singh (Third) Free lancer while three consolation prize winners were Shilpa Thakur (Freelance), Ashwani Kumar (Free lance) and Inderjeet Singh (The Tribune). Senior journalists comprising Raju Kerni, Mehraj Din, Channi Anand and Shishupal were among the members of jury and adjudged the best photographs. Veteran journalist SP Sharma, who presided over the function recalled and lauded the role of Ashok Sodhi as a photo journalist. "As a photo journalist I would always see him guiding and inspiring the budding journalists and explaining to them various angles of photography and I was in state of shock when I saw the news on TV", he said. President Press Club of Jammu Ashwani Kumar said the best tribute to Ashok Sodhi will be to make this event a annual feature and assured that Press Club of Jammu would make efforts to not only make this a annual event, but will also try to make this a week long regular feature. Zorawar Singh Jamwal, Secretary General Press Club of Jammu said that on the unfortunate day of May 11, 2008, I got a call from Ashok Sodhi when I was en-route Samba to cover the incident. "Though I was accompanied by many photo journalists, I tried to convince that there is no need of his personal presence in Samba and he will be provided the photographs of the encounter, which he refused and insisted to cover the encounter." "When we reached spot I just started talking to people and gathering information and after some time I got the news of his sad demise, which I was unable to believe", he added. Making an appeal to all journalists covering encounters, he said that journalists should take all precautions including wearing bullet proof jackets and head gears before covering such events. |
