GUWAHATI: In a bid to immortalize the legacy of the late Delhi-based senior journalist, Kalyan Barooah, five distinguished journalists are set to be honored with the first-ever 'Kalyan Barooah Award.' Instituted by the North-East Media Forum (NEMF), the award recognizes the significant contributions of these journalists in bringing the issues of Northeast India to the forefront of national media.
The awardees, carefully selected in various categories, include Ranju Dodum, a freelance journalist from Arunachal Pradesh, chosen for the Print Media category. Partha Jyoti Borah, the associate editor of News18 Assam, will be recognized in the Electronic Media category. Gitika Talukdar from Assam has been selected for her excellence in Photography, while Binod Tamang from Sikkim, a contributor for NE Live TV channel, is awarded for Freelance Videography. Additionally, veteran journalist Deepak Dewan will receive the award for Lifetime Achievement.
Kalyan Barooah, who served as a long-time Delhi correspondent for The Assam Tribune, tragically passed away during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, along with his wife, Nilakshi Bhattacharyya, a journalist with The Times of India.
The Kalyan Barooah Award aims to honor and acknowledge Barooah's tireless efforts in highlighting the issues of Northeast India. The announcement was made during a memorial meeting organized by NEMF in collaboration with the Press Club of India in May 2022. Sunil Deodhar, founder of My Home India, expressed the organization's commitment to initiate journalism awards in memory of Kalyan Barooah.
The esteemed jury panel, comprised of veteran journalists Ashish Gupta, CK Nayak, and Utpal Borpujari, played a crucial role in the selection process.
NEMF President Sanjib Kr Baruah and General Secretary Pranjal Pratim Das expressed their satisfaction in honoring Kalyan Barooah through these media awards, emphasizing the importance of such recognitions for the journalistic community. My Home India President Baldev Raj Sachdeva underscored the inspirational role Kalyan Barooah played in advocating for the rights and causes of Northeast India.
The awards ceremony, scheduled for December 11, is expected to be a significant moment, paying tribute to Kalyan Barooah's dedication to journalism and his unwavering commitment to Northeast India.
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