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On the occasion of Teachers Day, a visit to SAMARTH Anganwadi Hub in Burari along with Dr. Rashmi Singh Secretary WCD GNCTD, @drrashmisinghias was truly insightful. It was a pleasure to seen the effort put by Aanganwadi teachers for shaping young minds. Also learnt about the journey from Saheli Samanvay Kendra to integrated hub model where poshan, padhai, palna coexist.
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Vartika Nanda’s ‘J Se Jail’ Explores the Human Realities of Prison Life
Book released by Supreme Court Judge Justice Sandeep Mehta at IGNCA, with speakers highlighting prison reform, rehabilitation and the experiences of inmates
The Supreme Court has directed all States and Union Territories to put in place, within three months, a uniform policy governing the premature release of elderly and terminally ill prisoners, observing that such inmates are entitled to a humane and time-bound mechanism for remission or early release on compassionate grounds.
Group A- Yashi, Manshita,Pritha,Pranvi,Divyanshi,Nishika,Warya
DASTAK
While making this newsletter, we learnt and understood several things. We learnt how to work as a team despite our differences. We learnt how to coordinate with one another and respect the opinions of our team members. We learnt how to present information in an interesting and educational way. Through this newsletter, we were also able to sharpen our creative and analytical skills. It also strengthened our understanding of the concepts we learnt about in class. It further helped us realise the purpose of a newsletter better.
Group B- Raaina, Sana, Ayesha, Ananya,Mariam,Manjushree,Kirti
THE FOURTH VOICE
Through this project, we were able to take our understanding a step forward, beyond the theoretical concepts. We gained hands-on experience in making a newspaper, which required extensive research and the skills to collect and filter information. We studied prominent newspapers in order to understand their layout and design. We referred to The Hindu to get a basic idea of the byline and dateline. We studied the formatting of headlines and stories from Hindustan Times and referred to The Times of India for the front page.
We understood that news production is not just about collecting information, but also about presenting it in a manner that makes it easy to comprehend. At the same time, we learnt how to consolidate information, filter out relevant facts, and make selections through a journalistic lens. Through this process, we also learnt the skill of presenting nuanced concepts with objectivity and balance. Beyond this, the project strengthened our time-management and organisational skills. Working with a deadline required us to plan and divide our work, while coordinating individual contributions.
Through this project, we studied various newspapers and developed an in-depth practical understanding of how news is selected, organised, and presented to a wide audience. The project also helped us explore our creativity and present information in a fun, engaging, yet purposeful way. We developed important skills such as planning, time management, working under pressure, coordination, collaboration, and organisation. Working as a team helped us apply classroom concepts in a practical setting, making us more confident, creative, and responsible in our approach to journalistic work.
GROUP C REPORT- Riya, Aliya, Muskan, Harshita, Jaya, Drishti, Vaishnavi
The LSR Gazette
Our newsletter focuses on some of the basic yet important concepts and topics of journalism which includes :
1) Meaning of journalism and news.
2) The difference between hard and soft news.
3) And the role of embargo in reporting.
3) Discussion on fairness, objectivity, and balance with examples.
we have highlighted how these principles help journalists present information responsibly, accurately without unnecessary bias because it allows the readers to form their own opinions.
**LEARNINGS REPORT*:
1. Our first learning started with making of draft.This process taught us how to compile the ideas decide, the content and framework .
2. The most important thing we learned is importance of cooperation. We realised that creating newspaper was not just about completing our individual task,it was about listening each other.
3. We got to learn about representation of idea's such as using eye catching headlines, deciding the design of different pages etc.
4. Got to research , revise and learn all the topics again so that it got settled in brain for forever.
GROUP D REPORT -
LSR TIMES-
BEHIND THE SCENES OF LSR TIMES.
As a part of our group assignment, our group of eight which had Janya, Prachee, Menang, Mehak, Ananya, Devanshi, Baani & Naina put out a newsletter called 'LSR TIMES'. It was built around the theme of our paper - 'Introduction to Journalism'. Sticking to the basics we mentioned topics we have actually studied including *what news actually is*, *the difference between hard news and soft news*, *a few definitions of news by scholars* and the *basic of news*. Alongside the core contents we also dedicated a page to Games like Sudoku & Crossword pages.
We had some major learnings.
*PROPER PRESENTATION*: We learned how to present facts in such a way that someone flipping through the newsletter actually understands it without getting bored. We had to constantly edit to know how much text was appropriate and where a visual or gap was required.
*TEAMWORK* One of the most important learning that we had was to work as a team and still put out the best of us individually. We figured out how to split the sections fairly so that neither of us is under or overworked.
*PROBLEM SOLVING* We learned how to effortlessly blend ideas & writing styles of different members after major discussions and some disagreements.
*RESEARCH* We learned how to actually dig for the right information instead of just picking the first definition present. We constantly checked sources and learned the importance of authenticity before mentioning anything officially.
*TIME MANAGEMENT*- Another extremely important thing we learnt from this engaging group project is how to complete the work effectively within the given time frame and meet the deadlines given. Even though everyone had to work individually, we communicated and coordinated with each other, which helped us complete the project successfully and on time.
And at the end apart from everything, we learned as a group. Everyone of us had different skills. Some were extremely creative and some were great at writing, we ended up picking up skills from one another along the way everyday.
Putting this together taught us more than any assignment ever could.
मैं दिल्ली यूनिवर्सिटी का एक छात्र हूं। मैने हाल ही में -ज से जेल- को अमेज़न से खरीदा था। इस किताब को मैने पूरा पढ़ा। मेरे लिए इसे पढ़ना नए तरह का अनुभव था। पहली बार जेल का मुझे वो अर्थ समझ में आया, जो मुझे आज तक नहीं पता था ।इस किताब में जेल की जिस हकीकत और वास्तविकता की कहानी कही गयी है वह बिल्कुल सजीव है। जेल शब्द से स्वाभाविक तौर पर सभी की धारणाएं एक ऐसे स्थान के बारे में होती है जहां बुरे लोग रहते हैं उसी धारणा को बदलता है- यह उपन्यास ज से जेल।
इस किताब को पढ़कर एक अलग और अनूठी आजादी महसूस होती है। इस किताब में कई सीख ऐसी हैं जिनका जीवन के हर मोड़ में एक मायने है। किताब को पढ़ने के दौरान और बाद में भी मैंने कई परिवर्तन अपने अंदर महसूस किए। दुःख को देखने का नजरिया पहले की तुलना में कहीं गुना अधिक बदला। जीवन में मिले हर व्यक्ति और वस्तु का आभार व्यक्त करने का स्वभाव मेरे अंदर विकसित हुआ और गैर जरूरी बातों को नजरअंदाज करने की कला भी सीखी और अंत में सबसे बड़ी सीख मुझे इस उपन्यास से यह मिली कि बंधन किसी को बांधता नहीं बल्कि एक ऐसी परिस्थिति देता है जिसमें रहकर व्यक्ति पहले से कई गुना अधिक बहतर और सफल होकर निकलता है।
इसलिए में इस किताब को अपने अब तक के जीवन के उत्थान के लिए सर्वश्रेष्ठ समझता हूं।आप जब भी इस किताब को पढ़ेंगे तो अपने अंदर अवश्य ही ऐसे बहुत-से परिवर्तन महसूस करेंगे जिसकी शायद आपने कभी कल्पना भी न की हो। यह मेरा सिर्फ अनुभव ही नहीं, विश्वास भी है ।
Amazon: https://www.amazon.in/Ja-Se-Jail-Novel-Book/dp/9375738809
DELHI, INDIA | 16 August 2026: The Special After Care Home for Children in Lajpat Nagar welcomed new residents today, young women who had been temporarily shifted from the Nirmal Chhaya After Care Home in West Delhi. Accompanying Dr. Rashmi Singh, IAS, Secretary, Department of Women and Child Development (WCD), Government of Delhi, was Professor Vartika Nanda, who joined the visit to interact with the residents and understand their journey of transition and rehabilitation.
Song: Tu zinda hai to zindagi kee jeet per yakeen kaar
तू जिंदा है तो जिंदगी की जीत पर यकीन कर. गीतकार शैलेंद्र के प्रति श्रद्धांजलि.
Lyricist: Shailendra
Dedicating this to his birth anniversary on 30th August.
Phoolon Ka Taron Ka, Sabka Kahna hai: Dehradun Jail Radio Celebrated Raksha Bandhan with Special Programming
Dehradun, Uttarakhand: “Phoolon Ka Taron Ka, Sabka Kehna Hai” from the film Hare Rama Hare Krishna was the star of its time. Released in 1971, few could have imagined that decades later this timeless melody would echo as an iconic song on the prison radio of District Jail, Dehradun in Uttarakhand.
District Jail, Dehradun celebrated Raksha Bandhan today with a special edition of its prison radio broadcast, continuing a five‑year tradition of using radio as a tool for communication, healing, and reform in the jail.
Organising a news story means arranging information in a clear and logical order so that the reader understands the most important facts first. A news story usually follows the inverted pyramid structure, placing the most significant information at the beginning, followed by supporting details and background. This makes the story easy to read and ensures the key facts are communicated quickly.
वर्तिका नन्दा ने तीस साल लगाए इस उपन्यास को लिखने में।
समीक्षक: प्रकाश हिंदुस्तानी, इंदौर, भोपाल.
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=28951004921155001&set=a.149508695064674
अच्छा उपन्यास उत्तर कम देता है, प्रश्न अधिक छोड़ जाता है। 'ज से जेल' भी ऐसे ही प्रश्न छोड़ता है, जो किताब बंद करने के बाद भी लंबे समय तक मन में खुले रहते हैं।
INTRODUCTION TO JOURNALISM
UNIT – I (20 Hours)
UNIT I: Understanding News
Meaning and definition of Journalism
Ingredients of news
News: meaning, definition, nature
The news process: from the event to the reader (how news is carried from event to reader)
Hard news vs. Soft news
Basic components of a news story
Attribution, on-record, off-the-record, embargo
Verification, balance, fairness, brevity, dateline, credit line and byline
Criteria for newsworthiness, principles of news selection
Weekly Report
Subject: Introduction to Journalism
Facu;ty: Professor Vartika Nanda
Week: 3rd August – 8th August
डॉ. अम्बेडकर अंतर्राष्ट्रीय केंद्र एवं हिन्दुस्तानी भाषा अकादमी के संयुक्त तत्वावधान में राष्ट्रीय राजधानी क्षेत्र दिल्ली (एनसीआर) की सामाजिक-साहित्यिक-सांस्कृतिक संस्थाओं के पदाधिकारियों एवं साहित्यिक पत्रिकाओं के संपादकों का सम्मान.
आगरा जेल रेडियो ने पूरे किए 7 वर्ष: 31 July, 2026
आगरा, 31 जुलाई 2026 – भारत में कारागार सुधार और पुनर्वास की दिशा में विशेष पहल के तौर पर स्थापित आगरा जेल रेडियो ने अफने सात वर्ष पूरे कर लिए हैं. 2019 में जिला जेल, अगरा में स्थापित यह रेडियो स्टेशन कैदियों को अपनी आवाज़ और रचनात्मकता व्यक्त करने का मंच प्रदान करता है और जेल की दीवारों के भीतर परिवर्तन और सशक्तिकरण का प्रतीक बन चुका है।
Thirty-eight students have joined the Department of Journalism for the 2029–30 batch, marking the beginning of a vibrant new chapter. Their arrival introduces fresh energy, ideas, and perspectives to the campus. We embark on this journey with their written reflections about the very first day of college. Through these accounts, they express their dreams and aspirations for the future. Together, their words shape the spirit of the department and set the tone for the years ahead.
Delivered a lecture on Case Studies in Correctional Administration: International Best Practices and Reformative Models at the National Forensic Sciences University, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. The session formed part of a two‑week training programme on Correctional Administration designed for prison officers from Mauritius.
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During the talk, I highlighted several reformative initiatives undertaken by the Tinka Tinka Foundation in Indian prisons, showcasing innovative practices aimed at communication needs and human dignity in the correctional settings. I also shared insights from my visit to Mauritius prisons in August 2018, undertaken during the 11th Vishwa Hindi Sammelan in Port Louis. These experiences provided a comparative perspective on correctional systems and underscored the importance of cross‑cultural dialogue in advancing prison reforms.
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My talk was primarily focussed on prison radio. Mauritius jails have not introduced this concept yet. I hope the journey of Tinka Tinka inspires them to rewrite a new chapter. Radio in Prison by NBT India and J se Jail by Prabhat Prakashan were also discussed.
Picture clicked in 2018 in Mauritius during my jail visit
8 years ago, in 2018, Rushil bid farewell to the Department of Journalism at LSR. Today, in 2026, she returned as a proud and successful alumna.
Sharing a picture from the same spot—one clicked during her farewell, and another today, on the orientation day of the Batch of 2029.
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It was an honour to be a speaker at Media Samvad 40-40, organised by Samachar4media. I spoke about the evolving media landscape and shared an insight from J Se Jail, my latest novel.
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