NCMR was founded in the year 2002 by Dr.A.Santha, former Professor & Head, Department of Journalism and Science Communication, and Chairperson, School of Information and Communication Sciences, Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai, Tamil Nadu.

Dr Santha was the founder Head of the Department of Journalism and Science Communication of Madurai Kamaraj University.

• During her 38 years of eventful service in MKU, she initiated innovative courses, conducted M.Phil and Ph.D programmes, organized as well as attended national and international Conferences and workshops.
• Dr Santha was awarded Ph.D in the year 1981 for her thesis “Journalistic Techniques of Dinathanthi” (the highest circulated Tamil newspaper), a pioneering work in the field of Journalism and Mass Communication.
• She has produced as many as 13 Ph.Ds, the highest number in the field of Journalism and Mass Communication. Her wards include senior level Information & Broadcasting officials, media barons, mediapersons and academics.
• She has served on the Academic Council and Senate of MKU for several years and made substantial contributions. She has served on the boards of studies of universities and colleges and framed the syllabi for various media courses.
• During her tenure as Director of Educational and Multi Media Research Centre (EMMRC), MKU, she sorted out several long-pending legal and administrative issues.
• She has been constructively contributing to the community radio project of the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Govt. of India, right from its inception.
• Among the various courses she introduced, the PG course in Science Communication (funded by the Department of Science & Technology, Govt. of India) and the M.A. in Advertising and Public Relations (with technical advice from Prof. Jyotika Ramaprasad of Southern Illinois University, USA), were the first of their kind in India.
• On invitation, she visited USA twice under United States Information Agency-funded programmes of Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. While the first visit was to participate in a workshop on “Strengthening Journalism Education in South Asia” the second visit was to take part in a workshop on “Public Affairs Reporting” with respect to India and Pakistan. As part of the programmes, visited various top-ranking schools of journalism andmass communication including Missouri School of Journalism and Medill School of Journalism, Northwestern University to examine their pedagogical methods. Visited premier media organizations such as USA Today, Voice of America, ABC News etc.
• Served as a resource person for a training programme for Tamil journalists in Sri Lanka – a UNESCO initiative in Jaffna, Sri Lanka.
• She has published three books and more than 40 research papers. She has done projects for UNICEF, Dept. of Science & Technology, All India Radio and Dinamalar daily.
• She has edited the MKU Leads (the newsletter of MKU), tabloids for 76th Indian Science Congress (1989), Federation of Consumer organizations, Tamil Nadu (FEDCOT) 1993, 8thWorld Tamil Conference (1995) and National Youth Festival (1994).
• Apart from academics, she has identified herself as an activist for women’s rights, environment, popular science, organic farming and indigenous health practices. She has served on the boards of various leading NGOs -- Centre for Promotion of Social Concerns (Chairperson), DAC Trust (Trustee), Tamil Nadu Science Forum (Patron, Madurai Chapter) and EKTA – Resource Centre for Women- (Advisory committee).
• Dr Santha wants to dedicate the rest of her life to effect desirable attitudinal changes, by changing the modes of communication and messages of media.