Journalists of a leading daily
'Hindustan Times' and English magazine 'The Week' were today presented the prestigious International Press Institute (IPI)-India Award for Excellence in Journalism 2014 for outstanding journalistic work.
Lauding the winners Environment and Forests Minister Prakash Javadekar, who presented the award at a ceremony to Sanjoy Narayan, Editor-in-Chief of Hindustan Times,and Tariq Bhat of The Week, said that such occasions are a recognition of "journalism of commitment".
The function was attended by various dignitaries including former minister K Natwar Singh, MPs H K Dua and D Raja and media personalities.
Great stories can only be delivered in "mission mode", said Javadekar, who earlier held the Information and Broadcasting portfolio.
Talking about the two award winning stories, Javadekar said both narrate adversities faced by women in tough situations. Empowerment of women and gender sensitisation of men are very important, he added.
The 'Hindustan Times' was chosen for the award for its campaign on women acid attack victims. Its stories, done last year, narrated the plight of acid attack victims and how some of them carried on with the fight. The series culminated in a campaign called 'Stop Acid Attacks'.
The Week was selected for an evocative investigative feature on the plight of widows of Dardpora village in Kashmir, who had lost their husbands in the ongoing strife in the Valley.
Speaking on the occasion, Editor in Chief of The Hindu and Chairman, IPI-India, N Ravi spoke of the need for "decriminalisation of defamation" mentioning how journalists can be harassed under the present laws relating to defamation.
Law ministers and others have assured the media in the past that they would move towards decriminalisation of defamation, Ravi said.
"We again place the plea for decriminalisation of defamation before government through Union Minister Javadekar," he said.
Managing Editor of Malayala Manoram and Fellow of IPI-Vienna, Philip Mathew spoke about how the 'Nirbhaya' episode was a "watershed moment" as the media crusade in this case did not face allegations of indulging in sensationalism and mass hysteria, a charge which some of those in power tend to level.
