PTI
 
Manila, Apr 20: Kerala-based journalist M Suchitra was among the three Indian scribes to be honoured at the 2006 Developing Asia Journalism Awards held in Manila.

Founder and director of Quest Features and Footage in Kochi, Suchitra, 43, became the first ever female to win the overall Development Journalist of the Year title for her article on high maternal and infant deaths among tribals due to malnourishment and lack of access to services.

The winners and runners up each received cash prizes ranging from $1,500 to $500 in a ceremony on Wednesday night.

"About 320 million Indians go to bed without food every night and recent data suggests this already alarming situation is getting worse," Suchitra said.

Despite the magnitude and intensity of this problem, it remains on the margins of media coverage, she added.

The second Indian journalist to be awarded for her work was India Togethers’ Deepa A in the poverty issues category. Her story explored problems of poor students in private schools.

Also, Outlook magazine’s Saumya Roy won the second runner up award in the Development Agencies and Development category for her article on innovative approaches to sanitation in Mumbai.

Prizes for 2006 were awarded for reporting in four strategic areas of development—poverty issues, people, development agencies and women.