Activities of the Press Club of Jammu are aimed at to bring up the Press Club of Jammu as one of the best Clubs in the country and provide the latest facilities to its members, where they could visit, sit and relax their nerves after their day long tiring professional duties.

Keeping in view the basic requirements of the Club, which include, a comprehensive Library, Reading Room, Health Club, Indoor Games, Bar & Restaurant and Website / Internet facilities, all out efforts are being made to equip the Club with all the said facilities.

To achieve this target, the Managing Committee of the Club is vigorously engaged in various Developmental, Organizational, Sports, Welfare, and Cultural activities with the co-operation of the Members of the Club in the following manner.

Developmental Activities: The current Managing Committee, soon after it was entrusted with the responsibilities of the Club, took up the challenging task of a major construction project in its hands. Though initially there were very limited financial resources available. But, as the time passed, the committee adopted various means to generate the revenue of the Club to meet the expenses of the project.

These steps included, raising the rates of different facilities provided by the Club, by bringing the rates at par with the other Clubs and also by keeping open enrolment of Corporate members, to generate the Club income in many folds.

The income generating steps taken by the Committee, resulted in the completion of major part of construction work, while the remaining part of the project is also likely to be completed very soon.

In the first phase of the construction, renovation / modification and construction of a large centrally Air-conditioned Bar, divided in two zones, each consisting of smoking and non-smoking halls has been completed and thrown open for its members on last Dewali. Besides raising the similar sized structure on the 1st. floor of the bar, the construction of a liquor Store, two ultra-modern Lavatories, each for Men and Woman, two Staircases a beautiful Corridor, and development of a large Lawn for big functions and parties has also been completed in recent past.

Under the second phase, construction work on the first floor, which includes In-door Games Hall, a Health Club, a Cards Room, Library / Reading Room / Website and Internet Room, is in full swing and is likely to be completed shortly.

On completion of the on going construction project, the Press Club of Jammu will have a distinction of being on the top of other Press Clubs in India, in respect of its infrastructure and available facilities.

During the period, a boundary wall was raised on the Tawi Bank side of the Press Club, which not only protected the Press Club from the trespassers but a large piece of land also emerged. This land was later developed into a spacious lawn and has now become a source of revenue for the Press Club. In addition, entire Club building was renovated, robust Doors, Wooden Cabinets and a beautiful Reception Counter were got fitted in the Bar and Restaurant, and Conference halls and newly established Club office, giving a new attractive look to the Club Complex. Besides, lush green new Lawns were also developed in the Club premises by landscaping the entire area from main entrance gate to the extreme end towards the River bank side, by planting grass and beautiful ornamental plants in the area. These transformations, have given a unique look to the Club Complex.

To streamline the functioning of the Club, several revolutionary steps were also taken, which include:-

1. Introduction of Journalist Welfare Fund with initial contribution of Rs. one Lac from the Club sources and financial help of Rs. 120/- annually from each journalist member. The Club has already started providing financial assistance to the needy members,
2. Introduction of accidental insurance coverage to all the journalist members of the Club.
3. Exemption of subscription for the senior citizen journalist members, (Male 65-years and Female 60-years).
4. ATM type PVC Identity Card.
5. A new comprehensive four- page Membership Admission Form for different categories in different colours and
6. I-Card for member’s wife.
7. A new and modern Bar was constructed.

It may be recalled that soon after taking over the control, the Managing Committee established an administrative office with Computers, laser printers, Fax, with copier, scanner with Air - condition facilities. Besides, Internet and Website facilities have also been added in the Club.

To run the Club activities professionally, an Office Secretary, an experienced retired government officer and a professional Accounts Officer, two Assistant Managers and two office assistants have been appointed by the Committee. Since, the new office is in operation, all the administrative as well as accounts records have been computerized and also manually maintained under the overall supervision of a Chartered Accountant.

Organizational Activities: Under its organizational activities, the Club has started organizing “Meet the Veteran” programme in its premises in the recent past to provide a learning platform to the young and budding journalist members. The programme provides them an opportunity to meet the veterans from the Journalism field and enrich their knowledge by learning from the living legends of the State from their life long experiences.
Similarly, the Press Club has also started “Meet the Press” and general Interaction programmes to provide an opportunity to the Ministers / Legislators & Heads of Departments (H.O.D’s) of the J&K State government, to reach at the door steps of the general public, through the medium of the club by addressing and interacting with the Media persons and highlighting the achievements, recorded in varied areas of their work. This programme makes aware the general public, about the programmes and policies adopted by the government for the development of the state and uplift of the downtrodden.

The Club also organizes the Seminars periodically, and invites prominent personalities from Literary, Political and Social circles to discuss the burning issues / subjects, which confront the state and its people.

Since the inception of these programmes, the Club arranged several “Meet the Veteran”, “Meet the Press”, Interaction / felicitation programmes and Seminars, in the Club premises.

Under Meet the Veteran, programme, interaction sessions between upcoming young journalists and, veteran Journalists were arranged. Besides two stalwarts of the journalistic field, which included Mr. Sati Sahni and Mr. Balraj Puri, were honored and felicitated by the Club Managing Committee for their valuable contributions in the field of journalism.

Under“Meet the Press” the programme, Union Minister, for water resources, Prof. Saif-ud-Din Soz, J&K Finance Minister, Mr. Tariq Hameed Karra, Director General Police, J&K, Mr. Gopal Sharma, chief of 16th Corps. Lt. Gen. Sudheer Sharma, Interaction Sessions were arranged in the Club premises, where, these dignitaries addressed the Media persons on their respective issues and subjects.

Similarly, an Interaction programme for Defense Correspondents (Trainees) from all over India was also arranged in the Club premises where, several War Reporting Experts and senior Defense Correspondents delivered lectures and shared their life long experiences of War reporting with their young colleagues. Those who spoke on the occasion included Mr. Sati Sahni, Veteran Free Lance Journalist, Mr. Shyam Koul, Senior Journalist, Mr. Habans Nagokay, a trained Defense Correspondent and Mr. Sohail Kazmi, the Secretary General, Press Club of Jammu.

Under the Seminar programme, a Lecture on the subject “Peace building through institutions building in J&K” was also conducted in the Club premises, where, the Vice- Chancellor, Jammu University, Prof. Amitabh Mattoo, delivered the keynote lecture and concluded the programme with an interaction session with the Media persons. On the occasions, the invited dignitaries were presented Mementoes by the Club Management.

Under these activities, the Press Club had also organized a historical Interaction –cum- Felicitation function to welcome and honour the visiting 21- Member Pakistan and Pak occupied Kashmir Journalist delegation, which was led by the Secretary General, South Asia Free Media Association (SAFMA) Pakistan Chapter, Mr. Imtiaz Alam, at Hotel K.C. Residency, Jammu in October-2004.

Besides other representatives, Mr. K. K. Katyal, and Mr. Vinod Sharma, President and Secretary General respectively of SAFMA, India Chapter also accompanied the visiting guests. The programme was attended and appreciated by over a hundred working journalists of the J&K state.

Similarly, in December the same year, an 11- Member team of the prominent Journalist Members from the Press Club of Jammu visited Pakistan, Pak. Occupied Kashmir and Gilgit along with team of SAFMA, India Chapter, to interact with their counterparts in the other side of the border. The members included the President PCJ, Mr. Manu Shrivatsa, the Secretary General, PCJ, Mr. Sohail Kazmi, Members PCJ, Mr. Ashwani Kumar, from Aaj Tak, Mrs. Binu Joshi, fron BBC, Mr. Sant Kumar, from Star News, all from Jammu Division and Mr. Bashir Manzar from Kashmir Images, Mr. Zaffar Mehraj from Kashmir Monitor, Mr. Yusuf Jameel from Asian Age, Mr. Shujat Bukhari from the Hindu, Mr. Salim Pandit from Times of India and Mr. Tahir Mohi-ud-Din from Chattan, all from Kashmir valley,

Immediately after their return from Pakistan and the Pak. Occupied Kashmir, the Club organized an Interaction Programme, in the Club premises, where 15- day, long tour experiences were shared with a large number of media persons.

Sports Activities: Under the Games Activities, the Press Club-XI initiated a programme of “Friendly Cricket Matches” with various other organizations, to strengthen the bonds of friendship and mutual understanding, and played many such Matches which include 1. with Army, at 16th Corps. Head Quarters, Nagrota, 2. Sr. Superintendent of Police-XI, in Jammu, and 3. Vice- Chancellor – XI, (Teachers) Jammu University. At University Match, the Hon’ble Vice- Chancellor, Jammu University Mr. Amitabh Mattoo was the Chief Guest, who presented mementos to the participating teams at the concluding function.

Besides, the Press Club of Jammu-XI team also participated in Roshni Cricket Tournament, sponsored by the Airtel, Jammu and reached up to the semifinals of the Tounament.

Social Activities: Under Social Activities, the Club organized Van Mahotsav and planted several plants in the Press Club premises with the co-operation of concerned departments. All the members of the Managing Committee, and some veteran journalists of the state took part in Vriksharopan Programme.
The Club also Celebrated World Blood Donation Day, under social activities to make the Club members more technically aware about the blood donation and blood transfusion, a lecture on blood donation was arranged in the Club premises in collaboration with Young Blood Association, (YBA) J&K. Where several experts delivered lectures on blood transfusion. During the programme, Dr. T. R. Raina, Professor, Blood Transfusion Department, Medical College Jammu, Mr. Anil Padha, Chairman, Young Blood Association, J&K and the President, Press Club of Jammu, Mr. Manu Shrivatsa expressed their views on the subject.

On the occasion, seven blood donors were honored by the Managing Committee of the Club. These donors include 3 from Press Club, Mr. Zorawar Singh, Mr. Ashok Sodhi, and Mr. Pawan Choudhary, 2 from Medical profession, Mrs. Kiran Sharma, Asstt. Surgeon, Gandhi Nagar, Hospital, and Mr. Pawan Kumar Raina, Lab. Technician, Blood Bank, JMC and 2 from YBA, Mr. Sandeep Singh, President, DBDA, and Mr. O. P. Bakshi, Vice- President YBA. It is worthwhile to mention here that, Mr. Zorawar Singh and Mr. Ashok Sodhi, who are regular blood donors have donated their blood 10 times and 15 times respectively till date.

Cultural Activities: Under the Cultural Activities, the Club arranged cultural programme for the amusement of the Club members. In this context, a Cultural Solo - Performance Programme, with the Caption, “Inspector Mata Din Chand Par” was presented by a renowned Artist of the Samooh Theatre of Jammu in the Club premises which was appreciated by one and all present on the occasion.