Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (MD/KK)
Mangalore, Apr 10: The new office of Pingara Kannada Weekly was blessed and inaugurated at near Bishop's House, Kodialbail here on Thursday April 10.
Kemar Swamiji Sri Esha Vittal Dasa inaugurated the new office.
Msgr Dennis Moras Prabhu blessed the new office with holy water and graced the ceremony.
Pingara editor Raymond D'Cunha welcomed the gathering. He shared his thoughts and the struggles he underwent to bring out the weekly, and expressed his gratitude to Kemar Swamiji for his support over the years.
After the inauguration, Kemar Swamiji said, "I made it to the programme just because of the love and care Raymond has towards me. When he had to choose a name for the Kannada weekly, he visited our Math to finalise it."
"To keep our country safe from foreign enemies, our soldiers work hard and are alert all the time; similarly journalists should also be alert and lead the world in the right path," he said.
M G Hegde, who was mentioned as an honorary writer by Raymond D'Cunha, said that journalism is the fourth pillar of democracy. "Today, if there was no media we would have been in the dark. It is good news that a Kannada weekly will be run by the Christian community. It is a gift to the Kannada readers,” he added.
Dakshina Kannada Working Journalists Union president P B Harish Rai said that to provide light to the world, we must eliminate the darkness and added that Raymond has been providing light to the world since 2004.
Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy president Roy Castelino, Elias Fernandes, Fr John Vas, editor of Raknno weekly Fr Francis Rodrigues, chairman of the MCC Bank Melwyn D'Cunha, Ramakrishna R, comedy king Dolla, renowned singer Melwyn Peris and others were also present.