New Delhi: The government of Rajasthan state has appointed Sunny Sebastian, a senior journalist, as the vice chancellor of the newly created Harideo Joshi University of Journalism and Mass Communication.

“It is a very exciting and responsible job, am looking forward to it,” Sebastian, a catholic, told ucaindia.in on Monday, a day after he received the letter of appointment from Rajasthan Governor Margaret Alva.

Sebastian, 56, who has been in the journalism field for more than three decades, said he would make the university courses affordable to encourage more youth to join media.

He regretted that high academic fees have kept many talented interested young people away from media. Sebastian promised to explore the possibilities of launching scholarship for deserving candidates.

Another plan is to make the courses skill-oriented, said Sebastian, who just retired as the deputy editor of “The Hindu,” a Chennai-based multi-edition newspaper.

The newly established journalism university was named after Rajashtan’s former Chief Minister Harideo Joshi.

Sebastian has been in Jaipur, the state capital, since 1984, covering various aspects of the desert state, including socio-political issues, heritage, movements, sustainable development, environment and wildlife.

He joined The Hindu in Jaipur in 1986 and became its Special Correspondent and the Rajasthan bureau chief in 1993.

Sebastian, a native of Kerala, began his journalism career with the Caravan published by the Delhi Press. He then worked in Surya India, edited by Maneka Gandhi, and Delhi Recorder, all based in New Delhi.

He then moved to Indore to work with the Free Press Journal. Later he joined the Rajasthan Patrika in Jaipur.

Sebastian earned his masters in English literature from Indore Christian College of Devi Ahilya University and journalism from the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan in New Delhi. He was the first recipient of the Pandit Jhabarmal Patrakarita Puraskar in 1999.

Sebastian also holds a position in the Rajasthan State Wildlife Board in an advisory capacity, and is a member of the state government’s committee to recommend artistes’ names for the Padma Shri and the committee to look into implementation of Journalists’ Wage Board recommendations.

source: ucanindia