Saturday, September 24, 2011

Times NIE aspiring journalists 'grill' CM

MUMBAI: It was a back-to-school day for Prithviraj Chavan, and an "enlightening experience" for many schoolchildren and teachers from schools across Mumbai .On Friday, the Maharashtra chief minister took time off his busy schedule to meet over 900 high school kids from 350 Mumbai schools for a Q&A session at theTimes NIE Newsmakers' Meet 2011 organized in association with Cello Pens. 

Right from answering questions about his childhood days in Karad, where he first studied in a municipal school, to his high school days in Delhi when his parents became MPs to his foray into the IT industry after completing a Masters from the University of California, Chavan opened his heart to the schoolchildren . "The interaction was superb," said Gayatri Vishwanathan of New Horizon Public School, Vashi. "I was particularly happy that the chief minister answered all the questions in such detail." CM's interaction floors all at meet

Chief minister Prithviraj Chavan took on questions of every hue at the Times NIE Newsmakers' Meet 2011 on Friday. Answering a poser about Anna Hazare's ultimatum to the state government on appointing a Lokayukta in the winter session of Parliament, he replied, "Anna Hazare is a great leader. I respect his missionary zeal and crusade against corruption. But the Lokpal is not a panacea, and the coercive techniques Anna is using are totally unfair."

On his vision for Maharashtra , he said, "I want to make the state the very best in the world... but we have complex problems from communalism to multi-racial and multi-lingual identity. There are multiple issues which need to be addressed at various levels. It's not easy to chart out one plan which can change the scene overnight. We are doing our best."

Moderating the event, Bachi Karkaria, consulting editor, Times Group, put the chief minister at ease by speaking about his genuine concern for the issues at hand and his commitment to his job, which saw him keep very late hours. Teachers too were impressed with the chief minister's interaction. "The event was a great learning experience ," said Sucheta Singh, from DAV Public School, Nerul.

Carol Roy, from New Horizon Public School, Airoli, said, "Maharashtra has umpteen problems-yet , the forthrightness with which the topmost leader in the state spoke about all these issues gives one hope."

Of 900 children who participated in a writing contest, 60 will be shortlisted for an interview round, the results of which will be announced in The Times of India (Student Edition) shortly.

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