The Centre for Media and Strategic Studies (CMSS) is a registered think-tank established to engage India’s leading media houses and individuals in debate on India’s media policy and its role in nation building as well as global affairs. CMSS led studies and programme- debates, symposium and lectures are at the heart of the centre’s activities, with original research by global and local scholars on the role that media can play in helping resolve Geopolitical issues, Foreign Policy, Bilateral relations, Democracy and nation-building, National security, Ethnic conflict, Terrorism, Maritime Security, Environmental conflict, Energy crisis among other issues facing us today.
The CMSS endeavour began in New Delhi in the aftermath of the social media inspired Anti Corruption protests led by Anna Hazare, the protests following the gruesome rape of the 23 year old girl in the heart of the capital became an issue which inspired a group of socially conscious eminent citizens to delve into the strength of the social media. India needed an institute to help engage citizens and government in IT policy. Indian media, by and large free, had been slipping rapidly in global standing on free and fair media and required engagement with law and policy formulators in the Indian government as well as globally.
Though still relatively nascent and amorphous, CMSS is backed by a pool of eminent journalists, seasoned bureaucrats, academicians, scholars, policy formulators, women activists and budding leaders of change. Just the amalgam we need as India is poised to play a transformative role in globalization and world affairs, whilst simultaneously faced with extraordinary problems – terrorism, internal strife, a hostile neighbourhood, poverty and a youth bulge with high aspirations. India with its increasing global footprint, has been leading diplomacy for at least a decade, but does not have government leverage to India’s advantage.