D.P. Chaubey Memorial Award for three-decade contribution to investigative journalism

Ceremony on April 21 at NIT Campus, Raipur with senior dignitaries attending

Raipur । Celebrating the spirit of ethical journalism and public service communication, the Raipur Chapter of the Public Relations Society of India (PRSI) will confer the D.P. Chaubey Memorial Public Relations Award on The Hitavada’s News Editor and senior investigative journalist Mukesh S Singh on the occasion of National Public Relations Day, to be observed on April 21.

Announcing the event, Dr Shahid Ali, Chairman of PRSI Raipur, said, “Mukesh S Singh is being recognised for his three decades of impactful and fearless journalism in Chhattisgarh. His contribution to financial crime reporting, investigative coverage of regulatory actions, and principled media conduct sets a benchmark in the field of English journalism.”

The award will be presented at a formal ceremony scheduled for 6 PM on Sunday, April 21, at Golden Tower, NIT Campus, Raipur. The theme of this year’s Public Relations Day is “The Positive Use of Artificial Intelligence and the Role of Public Relations”. A thematic panel discussion will also be held to examine the role of technology in shaping ethical public communication.

Dy Executive Editor IBC-24 Varun Sakha Shrivastava will grace the ceremony as Chief Guest, while Shuchi Mishra, Head – PR & Communications, BALCO, will be the Guest of Honour. The keynote address will be delivered by Dr Dileep Singh Sisodiya, Professor at NIT Raipur.

According to Dr Ali, PRSI Raipur has been organising the National PR Day event for the past seven consecutive years, serving as a platform to recognise thought leaders in public discourse, media responsibility, and strategic communications. He said this year’s theme is timely and relevant, as AI continues to reshape how information is created, consumed, and conveyed in public life.

In addition to Singh, several eminent professionals from media and PR will also be felicitated:
• Saurabh Sharma, Deputy Director, Public Relations Department – Pt. Swarajya Prasad Trivedi Memorial Award
• Nasim Ahmed, Deputy Director, Public Relations Department – Baban Prasad Mishra Memorial Award
• S K Roop, Editor, Samyak Kranti, Surajpur – Ramesh Nayyar Memorial Award
• Dr Kirti Sisodia, Editor & Director, C-Positive Web Portal – Ira Jha Memorial Award
• Satyesh Bhatt, PRO, Guru Ghasidas University, Bilaspur – Paritosh Chakravarti Memorial Award
• Vijay Bajpai, Deputy Head, External Affairs, BALCO – Ramshankar Agnihotri Memorial Award

Dr Ali added that this year’s celebration will not only honour contributions to media and PR but also initiate critical conversations on emerging communication technologies and their responsible integration into public relations frameworks.