Peace journalism can be defined as a special mode of socially responsible journalism which 

contributes to the peaceful settlement of conflicts

. It is a form of journalism where editors and reporters make choices about what to report, and how to report, and to explore the causes of a conflict, in order to create opportunities for the community to solve it with peaceful and non-violent means.

The concept of peace journalism can be first traced back to 1965, when Norwegian Sociologist and the Principal Founder of the Discipline of Peace and Conflict Studies, 

, analysed what makes international news newsworthy. The notion of peace journalism was further developed by 

and Johan Galtung in 2010, who argued that the media predominantly exhibits a bias towards violence and rests on the belief that conflict is equal to war. Galtung himself defined peace journalism as, “

when editors and reporters make choices – of what to report, and how to report it – that create opportunities for society at large to consider and value non-violent responses to conflict

.” He made a distinction between “positive” peace and “negative” peace, as such: 

Peace journalism is split into two: ‘negative’ peace journalism, which tries to find solutions to conflicts in order to reduce violence; and ‘positive’ peace journalism, which wants to explore the possibility of more positive cooperation

Media is a powerful factor. Our thoughts are shaped, not only by experience, but what we read, listen, and are exposed to. By exposing people to one side of the story, and making them believe there is no other alternative, the media promotes cultural violence. Peace journalism does a great job in dissipating this. The primary idea of journalism itself is to deliver unbiased news and facts, incorporating a comprehensive context of the whole situation. The media’s selective approach to what to cover, and how to cover, has always been a debate. In many cases people complain about the manner in which a story is represented by the media. Peace journalism mandates the media to discover the root cause of a religious or any other conflict, thoroughly study and analyse it, and finally come out with a proposed solution. Given the complexities of modern day conflicts and disputes, this form of journalism is undoubtedly the ‘need of the hour’.

If we take into account the conflicts that have afflicted 

 for long years, we can safely conclude that the concept of peace journalism is yet to take root in this 

multi-religious, and multicultural, secular nation

. During some of the most complicated and dangerous disputes that plagued India for years, like the 

, the media hardly played any noticeable role to tackle and resolve these disputes. What they did was to merely present the facts of violent incidents as they happened: figures of human lives lost, accounts of damage done to the government and public properties, during struggles of a conflict. Hardly any journalist attempted to go to the root cause of the matter and come up with a solution.

On the contrary, there are newspapers and channels that provide unregulated or unchecked content, thus further adding to the tense situation during a conflict. Like many other countries, India also has war journalism as a dominant form of journalism. This is actually what most people prefer to watch. This brings more TRP for the news channels, and because of this, the other side of the story is never shown. Many times the 

 as they are owned by big business corporations; thus, they choose to show what is good for the government, and profitable for them, rather than showing the true story so that people get a comprehensive viewpoint of the situation. If a mob lynching is reported anywhere in India, different media groups take opposing stands. In trying to bring out the magnitude of the crime, they start promoting disharmony between the two communities. There are no attempts to indicate that they are trying to broker peace with their journalism. This is the case with not just India alone; media the world over lacks the agenda of peace.

This kind of journalism is new to the world and is yet to take roots in any country. We have to see to it that it grows and becomes productive and provides solutions rather than simply putting out facts and figures. A multi-religious, multi-ethnic, multilingual, and multicultural country like India needs ‘

’ the most. The earlier we develop it, the easier it will be for us to get out of the ‘

Peace Journalism and its Need in Today’s World

In December 2019, a new infectious respiratory disease emerged in 

, the capital city of Hubei Province in China. The 

 (WHO) named the new virus as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), and the disease caused by the virus was called coronavirus disease (COVID-19). As far as the history of human civilization is concerned there have been instances of severe outbreaks of diseases caused by a number of viruses. The coronavirus outbreak of 2019 has progressed to the status of a global pandemic, with countries across the seven continents adversely affected and the number of human cases exceeding two million. As for now, there are no reports of any clinically approved drugs or vaccines, though some countries are trying to create one. COVID-19 has rapidly spread around the world, posing enormous health, economic and social challenges to the entire human population. Almost all nations are struggling to slow down the transmission of the disease by testing and treating patients, putting their country in lock down and maintaining social distancing.

As the forced lockdown compels humanity to ponder over the choices made in the past few decades, a thread that stands out universally is that human lives are fragile. The things that we took for granted were easily snatched away from our hands. The lockdown also led to the closure of schools which affected the education of more than one 1.5 billion children and youth worldwide. This has widened the learning gap between children from lower income and higher income families. While the privileged have access to online classes and lectures through technology, many are not capable of doing so. Online classes and lectures have been useful but the element of face-to-face interaction between students and teachers is missing even in this age of digitization.

With the ever growing number of cases and no available vaccine, the treatment is primarily 

 for those at risk. Most countries have taken action to curtail the spread of COVID-19 through measures such as lockdowns, social distancing and voluntary self-isolation. Whilst necessary, such measures and the disease itself, may have an adverse impact on 

 In view of research from previous pandemic crises, it is known that such situations are likely to increase stress levels and have negative psychiatric effects. The impact is likely to be felt by the general public, sufferers of COVID-19, their families and friends, persons with pre-existing mental health conditions and healthcare workers. Apart from this, COVID-19 has severely demobilized the global economy. In order to restrict further transmission of the disease in the community, many of the affected countries have decided to undergo complete lock down. In almost all the COVID-19 stricken countries, entire educational, commercial, sports and spiritual institutions are closed. Industries are suffering a lot as many of these, excepting those related to essential amenities, are closed for a long time in many countries. People belonging to the tourism and transportation industry are also facing utmost difficulties. Production level has gone very low. The Economies of many powerful countries are now facing the threat of high inflation and increasing unemployment.

Meanwhile, efforts to restrict transmission of the SARS-CoV-2, by restricting the movement have had an outstanding environmental effect. Due to non-functioning of industries, industrial waste emission has decreased to a large extent. Vehicles are hardly found on the roads resulting in zero emission of green-house gases and toxic particles in the environment. Due to lesser demand for power in industries, use of fossil fuels or conventional energy sources have been lowered considerably. Ecosystems are being greatly recovered and pollution levels have come down. Environment change is one of the biggest and most vital challenges of the 21st century. In spite of all their efforts to restore nature during the last few decades, humans could only move a few steps forward. But during the last few months, consequences of the pandemic have successfully recovered the environment to a large extent that should definitely set a positive impact on global climate change.

Like all the preceding disasters on the earth, let all be optimistic enough that, human beings will definitely win over the pandemic in due course of time, but they should know the limits to which they can thrust nature, before it is too late. This virus has taught humans that no matter how many technological advances we achieve, we are still a tiny insignificant speck in front of nature.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author. They do not purport to reflect the views of The Jamia Review or its members.

CORONAVIRUS: HOW A VIRUS CHANGED OUR LIVES

Once the rulers of the entire region, the descendants of the Nawabs of Awadh have now been reduced to accept trivial sums of money as the ‘royal pension’ or ‘

‘. The pension, which started from the times of the British, is now a matter of ancestral pride for the fading royalty of Lucknow. These aristocrats of the city can often be found on the creaking steps of the Hussainabad Picture Gallery, a grand old brick building, whose walls are coated with the memories of the grandeur of the Nawabs of Awadh. These ‘

‘ are the descendants of the Nawabs, their ministers and officers, and are linked to the past by this royal pension.

 is a Persian word, which means a document that has drawn its sanctity from its written nature, granting a pension drawn from the interest on the principal sums, or on wealth in the form of property and jewels, given by the Nawabs to the British at the various times, or interest accruing from investments made in promissory notes. The ‘

’ system is a unique formulation of Awadh’s Nawabs, often painted in unflattering brush strokes by historians. Such an arrangement for perpetual generosity is found nowhere else in the world.

According to history, King Mohammad Ali Shah had loaned Rs. 2 crores to the English East India Company, while they were at war and needed money. The present system of ‘

‘ was started in 1816, by Bahu Begum, the mother of Nawab Asaf ud Daula, for the help of their relatives and others. This system was continued by the English East India Company and after independence, its has been continued by the Home Ministry of the Government of India.

, who collect their pensions in a dilapidated office next to the Hussainabad picture gallery. Their 

 vary from Rs. 1 to Rs. 600 for a month, money that is even less than the amount spent on the journey to the office. Many of the 

 are now prosperous and have settled abroad, but still come back from places like the UK and USA, spending thousands of rupees, to collect sums as meager as Rs. 5 only. Many 

 are poor and uneducated; but for all of these recipients, the 

 is a pleasure that far outstrips it’s monetary value.

For a long time, the descendants of the nawabs of Awadh have been demanding an increase in their 

 pension. For many of them, the pension amount does not matter but is certainly humiliating for their prestige, as these are not “alms”. 

 was originally paid to its recipients in the form of silver coins, which had much more value than the currency notes they are paid in now.

Besides an increase in the pension amount, the 

 also want a dearness allowance from the government. They state that the value of the treasures that the Nawabs had given over to the British would have increased multiple times since the 

 was introduced. They also want the government to do away with a system of commutation under which, if a 

 takes an advance payment of 20 years of their 

 is deemed to be over. Apart from this, the 

 also want recognition of their ancestors and the role played by them in the freedom struggle. Increasing the pension amount is more a matter of honour than anything else. It is unlikely that the ‘

’ will let go of their connection with the past, so easily; because for them, more than a pension, it is something which establishes their connection with the royal family of the Nawabs of Awadh.

 is an affair of honour and sentiment for its recipients and a constant reminder that royal blood flows somewhere in their veins. It is a legacy of their ancestry. They hold the 

 as the finest example of the Nawabi culture of open-handedness, generosity and secularism. It is not something which can be bought, and has been conferred to the people by virtue of their ancestry and thus a matter of pride.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the author. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of The Jamia Review or its members.

‘WASIKA’- A REMINISCENCE OF A FADING ROYALTY

“Of all the buildings of old Lucknow, surely none has a stranger or more romantic history than that of La Martiniere.”

, has a distinct place in History for a rare honor to its name. While a number of schools around the world have been awarded battle colors in recognition of their alumni serving in armies, La Martiniere is the only school in the world to have been awarded royal 

s for the courage displayed by its students and staff during the 

La Martiniere College, Lucknow, was established in 1845, in accordance with the will of 

, a Frenchman in the East India Company. Built at the end of the 18th century, Claude Martin gave the institution its name. He arrived at 

 in 1751 as a common soldier of the French, but he threw in his lot with the English after the 

. Soon, Martin rose to the ranks of Major-General and amassed a vast fortune for himself. While in Awadh to prepare the first authentic and scientific maps of the region extending from Assam to Awadh, he attracted the attention of Nawab of Awadh, 

 and thereafter became his close confidante and a power behind the scenes. He advised the British as well as the Nawabs of Awadh on financial and political matters. During his remaining life in Lucknow, he designed and constructed several outstanding buildings, some of which, include 

. The most distinguished of all the buildings designed by him is 

, which is now over 200 years old. Described as “a wedding cake in brick”, a “Gothic castle” and a “baroque folly”, Constantia is the focal point of La Martiniere, Lucknow.

La Martiniere College was deeply affected by the events of 1857. The College and its residents were evacuated to the Residency on 13 June, 1857, as per the orders of 

Sir Henry Lawrence-the Chief Commissioner of Awadh

 had fortified the school buildings and stocked provisions with the intention of defending La Martiniere. When the 

 held by the British was besieged by Indian soldiers who had revolted against them, 67 students of the school along with the Principal and the other staff were inside the Residency compound. Since the British were short of troops, the students were assigned military, hospital and domestic duties and they acquitted themselves with it gallantly. They were housed in a building belonging to a Lucknow banker. The Martiniere Contingent was commanded by the Principal, Mr. George Schilling. Six students who were considered able of bearing arms had to do the duty of a soldier, mounting guard in turns and standing to arms when the position was attacked. This post was renamed as the 

. They defended an extremely exposed part of the southern perimeter of the Residency, withstood infantry and artillery attacks and were subjected to mining operations. The Martiniere Post was thirty feet distant from Johannes House, held by the rebels, and as a consequence it was exposed to heavy shelling. On one occasion, a mine blew down the outer room of The Martiniere Post, but the boys defended the breach and after several days of gruesome fighting, they managed to drive off their enemies. In the face of great hardship they stood courageous and successfully defended The Martiniere Post for almost five months. Meanwhile, their studies continued. Two boys died due to illness and two others were wounded in action. The Residency was under siege for eighty-six days, until relieved by 

. The Martiniere Contingent also took part in the secret evacuation of the Residency. After the siege, the college was temporarily moved to 

The Martiniere contribution was recognized in 

. The staff and the boys who served during the Mutiny were all awarded with the 

 in recognition of their bravery and steadfastness. In 1938, La Martiniere College, Lucknow, was granted the right to carry a British Army regimental-style ‘colour’ or flag bearing its own coat of arms with a picture of the Residency and the words “Defense of Lucknow,1857”, on ceremonial occasions. It thus became the only school in the world to be awarded a British battle honour.

Articles by Ishan Kalhans

Peace Journalism and its Need in Today’s World

CORONAVIRUS: HOW A VIRUS CHANGED OUR LIVES

‘WASIKA’- A REMINISCENCE OF A FADING ROYALTY

LA MARTINIERE COLLEGE, LUCKNOW: ONLY SCHOOL WITH A BATTLE HONOUR

Peace Journalism and its Need in Today’s World

CORONAVIRUS: HOW A VIRUS CHANGED OUR LIVES

‘WASIKA’- A REMINISCENCE OF A FADING ROYALTY

LA MARTINIERE COLLEGE, LUCKNOW: ONLY SCHOOL WITH A BATTLE HONOUR