Name of the Activity: Records and Archive Management: The Relevance of Archives to Journalism
Type of Activity: Special Lecture
Date/ Duration of Activity (from-to): 29th June, 2026
Time: 12:15 pm- 13:45 pm
Details of Resource person: Smt. Bidisha Chakraborty, Chief Archivist (Retired), West Bengal State Archives
No. of Participants: 42
Objective of the event
To provide students with a practical understanding the interconnections of records, documents and archives.
Brief description of the event
The Department of History and Journalism and Mass Communication in collaboration with IQAC, The Bhawanipur Education Society College, organised an invited lecture on the theme “Records and Archive Management: The Relevance of Archives to Journalism”. The resource person for the event was Bidisha Chakraborty, Chief Archivist (Retired), West Bengal State Archives. The special lecture commenced with a brief discussion by Archivist Bidisha Chakraborty about the relevance of the role of the archive. She spoke about the archive and its role in memorialising History. The students were made aware of the functioning, documentation and organisation structure of the archive. They were also shown how the scientific method of archive management began in the colonial period, but how the Indian subcontinent had historically distinct traditions of record keeping. She also discussed how the archive, in contemporary times is becoming politicised. The archive thus is of immense societal value and is an integral component of ethical, responsible journalism.
Outcome of the event
The event was a success and made the students aware of the enduring role of the archive. It successfully demonstrated how the archive constructs historical understanding and its contemporary manifestations.
