Daijiworld Media Network—New Delhi (RS/CN)
New Delhi, Oct 2: Deccan Herald principal correspondent Dr Ronald Anil Fernandes was presented the prestigious ‘Sarojini Naidu Award-2009’ by Union Minister of State for External Affairs Dr Shashi Tharoor at India Habitat Centre, on Friday October 2.
He bagged the national award for best reporting on ‘Women and Panchayati Raj’ in the English category.
Incidentally, Dr Fernandes is the first South Indian to win the award, which comprises of Rs 2 lac in cash and a citation, in this category.
The other awardees included Amarpal Singh Verma (Hindi) of ‘Rajasthan Patrika’ from Rajasthan, and G Meenakshi (other Indian languages – Tamil) of ‘Dinamani’ from Tamil Nadu.
Vijay Chormare of Prahar from Maharashtra was given a special jury citation (Marathi).
The jury included Dr George Mathew (director, Institute of Social Sciences), Urvashi Butalia (co-founder, Kali for Women, and director, Zubaan), Maalan Narayanan (political analyst and media consultant), Alok Mehta (chief editor, ‘Nai Dunia’) and Prof Niraja Gopal Jayal (chairperson, Centre for Study of Law and Governance, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi).
The award-winning story on Koila gram panchayat in Puttur taluk was published in the ‘City Herald’ (a supplement of ‘Deccan Herald’) on July 4, 2009.
Speaking on the occasion, Hunger Project Country Director Rita Sarin said that the organization received a total of 928 articles from all over India.
Dr Shashi Tharoor, the chief guest on the occasion, while lauding the journalists for winning the prestigious award, said that there is a bright future for media in India unlike other countries where newspapers and magazines are being closed down.
Regretting the recent trend of “herd instinct” of newspapers and TV channels, he called upon media persons to publish more and more stories which “the public need to know” rather than “what the public want”.
Well-known social activist and former IAS officer Aruna Roy and Doordarshan director general Aruna Sharma also spoke on how the RTI Act and NREGA have brought a ray of hope to rural women.
Incidentally, the year 2009 also marks the 50th anniversary of Panchayati Raj.