Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (NM)
Mangalore, May 9: Friday May 9 marked a new milestone in Daijiworld's remarkable journey of 13 years as it moved to its own premises, a state-of-the-art corporate office located at Daijiworld Residency on Airport Road, Bondel here.
The office was inaugurated by chief guest NRE entrepreneur and philanthropist Ronald Colaco in the presence of UAE Exchange COO Sudhir Shetty, chairman of Green Valley National School and PU College Sayed Abdul Kader, and MD of Rohan Corporation and director Daijiworld Media Pvt Ltd Rohan Monteiro who were the guests of honour.
The dignitaries on the dais lit the traditional lamp to symbolically inaugurate the event.
Daijiworld's new TV channel 'Daijiworld24x7' was soft-launched on the same occasion by Ronald Colaco. A promo of the channel was shown to the audience. Oneil D'Souza, managing director of Daijiworld Television Pvt Ltd was present on the stage.
Addressing the gathering after launching the channel, Ronald Colaco said nearly 15 years ago when he was approached just before the launch of daijiworld.com, he did not know about it, but later realized what it was. "Having 400,000 daily readers from all over world is not an easy task to achieve. I was again invited for the inauguration of Daijiworld Weekly. It was the first English Weekly to be published from Karnataka, so Daijiworld achieved this distinction too. Now they have entered into TV media, and I am sure after this soft launch Daijiworld will move forward at an even greater pace.
"This is a tremendous achievement. The credibility that Daijiworld enjoys was evident during incidents like the Mangalore plane crash, pub attack and church attacks, when other media, including international channels picked up updates and looked for authentic information from daijiworld," he added.
Appreciating Daijiworld for its online appeals to help the needy, he said, "Daijiworld is known for its charity; its online appeals have generated Rs 8 crore for the needy. The large response from readers to online appeals show the credibility of Daijiworld. You can dream, but unless you work hard and try you cannot succeed. Walter Nandalike has done that and his hard work and efforts have paid off.
Commenting on the present-day media, he said, "In today's world media has become most powerful. In many instances it can be biased too. They make claims that they are fair to all political parties and communities, but only about 10 percent of the media are so. We are not stupid - we can make out when a media is biased. Some of them repeatedly project unwanted news. Whereas, daijiworld has become the voice of the voiceless specially for the weaker sections. Now with the launch of TV channel whatever vacuum was there has been filled. Seeing the success of daijiworld.com and Daijiworld Weekly, I pray to god that the hard work and efforts move at the same pace in TV channel also, I pray to god that He showers his choicest blessings on Daijiworld."
Sudhir Shetty in his address said, "It is a great honour and privilege to witness the launch of Daijiworld's TV channel and its corporate office. Fourteen years ago the print and electronic media were the order of the day, and penetration of internet was not visible. So how did they think of launching an internet portal? It says a lot about people who think far ahead. It is because of the vision of Walter Nandalike that today Daijiworld has become a household name. It has taken Mangalore to the world. Let the TV channel too spread its wings to every country in the world.
"When the online portal was launched, it was available only for the top creamy layer who had access to the internet. In 2009, with the launch of the Weekly, Daijiworld reached some more hands, and now with the TV channel it will cut across the section of the society and reach every home. It is an apt and futuristic development in media today. I commend the efforts of Walter and is team for what they have achieved, and I am sure they will conquer the world with the support of well wishers," he said.
"We say media is not projecting the kind of stories that it should. We have seen distorting and sensationalization of news. Daijiworld will change that and become a proactive media and project the good happening around the globe. It is my privilege to witness this great morning. I wish Daijiworld all the best," he added.
Terming May 9 as an unforgettable day, Rohan Monteiro in his address said, "Today Daijiworld is moving to its own building. A seed sown many years ago has today grown into a tree, giving shade to everyone and connnecting Mangalore to the world. From online journalism to publication and now to the launch of television channel, it is growing at a great pace. It is because of the vision and hard work of Walter Nandalike and the directors and the staff that today it has become a popular name. I am proud to be part of this family. It is one-and-half decade old now and it has never budged from its place at the top."
Founder and editor-in-chief of Daijiworld Walter Nandalike welcomed the dignitaries and in his address traced Daijiworld's journey over the last 13 years and said that today the website enjoys a daily viewership of 400,000 from across the world. He mentioned that through online appeals, with the support of generous readers, daijiworld has been able to generate Rs 8 crore as charity for the needy in India and abroad. "I believe, this is perhaps the most transparent way to help the less privileged people of our society. It also gives an opportunity to our website readers to help those in need directly without the presence of any middlemen," he said.
He thanked Rohan Monteiro for giving the new premises in his Daijiworld Residency and also individually thanked the entire galaxy of supporters, well-wishers especially those who had come from abroad specially for the programme, directors and staff, for their dedication and support to Daijiworld over the years.
Daijiworld's director of operations Melvyn Rodrigues proposed the vote of thanks.
The proceedings were brilliantly conducted by ace compere Leslie Rego.
Among the dignitaries who attended the programme were J R Lobo, MLA Mangalore, Leo Rodrigues, Abu Dhabi, Sarvotham Shetty, Abu Dhabi, Fr Santosh Kamath, Fr Francis Almeida, Fr Victor D'Souza, Mukamar, Fr Richard Lasrado, Fr Andrew D'Souza, parish priest of Bondel, Fr Vijay Lobo, Sandesha, Nagesh Shetty, station manager, Air India Mangalore, Herlopius, chief of immigration, Mangalore Airport, Valentine D'Souza, CCB inspector, Mangalore, MP Noronha, legal advisor of Daijiworld, Ashok Purohit Mumbai, Stany Fernandes Muscat, Felix Lobo Doha, Alfred Sequeira Doha, Harish Sherigar Dubai, Praveen Kumar Dubai, Ivan Fernandes Dubai, Dayan D'Souza, Dubai, Nelson Rodricks, Dubai, Frank Fernandes Dubai, Dr Yusuf Kumble, Basti Vaman Shenoy, Ivan Dsouza (KPCC Secretary), Devdas Kapikad and many others from abroad and India.
Managing director of Daijiworld Television Pvt Ltd Oneil D'Souza, Titus Noronha and a large number of well-wishers, supporters and staff from different parts of the coastal region, Mumbai, Bangalore, and the Gulf were present.