The Ramnath Goenka Awards celebrated as one of the most prestigious awards in Journalism, was given by President Draupadi Murmu on 19th March in New Delhi. The award is given to courageous journalists to uphold the values of truth, fearless reporting, and integrity.
While giving the award, president Murmu emphasized the role of media in Democracy. She said, “If citizens are not well informed, democratic processes lose their very meaning”.
The awards were given for the efforts in 2023 and the President, who was the chief guest at the ceremony presented the awards recognizing the efforts of journalists across regions and genres upholding the legacy of Ramnath Goenka.
Ramnath Goenka was a journalist, freedom fighter, and the founder of the Indian Express group. His compelling editorials and staunch support for “freedom of expression” during the emergency became a symbol of bravery. The award which began in 2006 honors his legacy and celebrates the spirit of journalism in the country.
It was given to 27 journalists across 13 categories. Among the award winners were Sibu Tripathi from India Today for reporting on the Joshimath crisis, Mridulika Jha for reporting the crisis of Haryana youth opting for the “donkey route”, Ashutosh Mishra the deputy editor of Aaj Tak for “excellence in journalism” for ground reporting in Manipur and Siddhant Mohan for covering “The Kerala story” among others.
The 19th edition of the ceremony was held in the Oberoi Hotel in New Delhi in the presence of several dignitaries including Union Ministers Sarbananda Sonowal, and Chirag Paswan, parliament members from various parties, and journalists attending the function.
The jury consisted of Justice BN Srikrishna, Prof C Raj Kumar, Rohini Nilekani, and Dr S Y Quraishi.
