Lucknow: Do you know where the first internet connection in the city was installed, or who received the city's first mobile phone? According to former officials, both came to the state information department first.
Speaking at an event, former IAS officer Rohit Nandan said that the first mobile connection in Lucknow in 1996 and the first internet link were issued in the name of the information department. "The department has always acted as the government's eyes and ears, and continues to remain relevant with changing technology," he said.
Nandan, who served as information director three times, said the department plays a key role in shaping the government's image. "What officers do here directly affects how people perceive the government," he added.
Former IAS officer and election commissioner Anup Chandra Pandey, who also held the post twice, recalled his tenure as one of the most significant in his career. He cited an instance when a press note led to a debate in the Vidhan Sabha and was later accepted by the government. "The post is considered a centre of influence with direct access to the chief minister," he said.
Justice Raghvendra Kumar said the department played an important role in building public trust by effectively communicating government and court work.
A magazine named 'Rizwa' was launched by the Retired Information Journalist Welfare Association, and several former officials were honoured for their contributions.
