MUMBAI: A clash of civilisations never occurs between truly cultured societies and civilised minds, international policy expert and author Sandeep Waslekar declared at the Devarshi Narad Patrakar Samman 2026 ceremony held in Mumbai on Saturday. Where there is culture, conflict cannot exist, he asserted.
Event Highlights
Addressing the gathering organised by Vishwa Samvad Kendra at the National Stock Exchange amphitheatre in Bandra-Kurla Complex, Waslekar emphasised that India's core philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, meaning the world is one family, is increasingly being overshadowed by dominant global media narratives. He urged India to reduce foreign dependence across sectors and strengthen indigenous capabilities, noting that the country is steadily moving towards self-reliance.
The event was attended by former Director General of Ordnance and retired Lieutenant General R. R. Nimbhorkar, keynote speaker Prashant Pol, and Vishwa Samvad Kendra president Sudhir Jogalekar.
Panel Discussion on Clash of Civilisations
A panel discussion on the theme of clash of civilisations preceded the awards ceremony. During this session, Lieutenant General Nimbhorkar stated that India's defence preparedness has strengthened considerably and that the armed forces are fully equipped to tackle external threats. He highlighted that India's defence exports have reached nearly Rs 30,000 crore and underscored the country's culture of coexistence during international peacekeeping missions.
Prashant Pol remarked that dialogue, coexistence, and coordination form the essence of Indian civilisation. Consensus achieved through dialogue is superior to war, he said.
Awards Ceremony
Twelve journalists and digital media creators were honoured for their contributions across various categories. Veteran journalist Ganesh 'Bhau' Torsekar received the lifetime achievement award. Other honourees included Milind Ballal, Jitendra Dixit, Mayur Parikh, and Rakesh Trivedi.
Awards were also presented to Gaurishankar Ghale for reporting, Sanjeev Bhagwat for writing, and young journalists Manashri Pathak and Sagar Devre. Social media creators Akash Dandekar, Manik Rege, and Akash Bhavsar were also felicitated.
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About the Author: Chittaranjan Tembhekar, a journalist with nearly 30 years of experience, has been writing in-depth impactful news stories on infrastructure, environment, energy, liquor, tourism, mobility, ports, hospitality, telecom, and petroleum, besides covering administrative, political, legislative, and policy-related issues at the state and central government levels.
