Department of Journalism and Mass Communication (DJMC), Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST), Thursday organised a day-long workshop-cum-interaction session, ‘Meet the Witness(es)’ for its students with the editor and contributors of the book, ‘Witness: Kashmir 1986-2016/ Nine Photographers’.

The book comprises over 200 photographs of which 20 to 25 have been contributed by nine Kashmir-based photographers each wherein text is written by noted documentary film maker, Sanjay Kak.

The nine photographers include Mehraj-ud-Din, Showkat Nanda, Javed Dar, Sumit Dayal, Javaid Shah, Dar Yasin, Altaf Qadri, Syed Shahriyar and Azaan Shah.

Speaking on the occasion, Sanjay Kak said the book was a way of understanding the truth of Kashmir and then sharing it with rest of the world. “The book is rich in three elements- photographs, photographers and the description. The work of photographers in the book suggests a narrative, which audience has to understand,” he said.

He said the book was not just a product but an experience of the photographers.

Dean Academy affairs, Prof. Mushtaq A Qureshi said the workshop has familiarized the students with the contemporary challenges in the photojournalism both at national and international level.

“The experts in a field have inculcated lot of inspiration amongst all the participants, be it students or faculty,” he said.  

Meanwhile, photographers, present in the session shared their experiences with the students and also talked about their contribution in the book.

“I wanted to dig stories deeper as a documentary photographer, for a documentary photographer does not merely witness the things but has a point of view as well,” said Showkat Nanda, an award winning photographer.

Earlier, in his welcome address, Head of the Department, DJMC, Dr Ruheela Hassan said the session aimed to provide an opportunity to Journalism students to witness the history through the lenses of the photojournalists.

“The book portrays several important aspects of Kashmir in a very creative and impressive manner. The students are fortunate to get an opportunity to interact with the team of Witness,” she said.

Later, a question-answer session was held, wherein students and faculty posed various questions to the guests regarding the book and their work.

Other contributors of the book, Javed Dar, Sumit Dayal and Syed Shahriyar, and faculty members of DJMC including Monisa Qadri, Dr Rabia Noor, Shazia Yousuf, Isra Amin Bhat and Dr Mujeeb Liyakat were also present on the occasion.

Guest