Maharashtra Higher and Technical Education Minister Rajesh Tope felicitated Ambarish Mishra and urged media to give up "negative journalism".
Mishra, senior journalist with a leading newspaper, said that he had not considered journalism as a medium to achieve anything beyond what he earn as salary.
"We have to avoid negative journalism and as a means to settle scores with somebody," he said, adding journalists should strive to uphold their personal integrity and enhance work culture.
Addressing the function, Tope urged journalists to "have a positive approach which will encourage people in public life who do good work," and lamented the negative perception about political leaders in the media.