The South Asian Journalists Association is pleased to host our annual conference and gala on October 10-11 in New York City.

Our theme, frontlines and through lines, underscores how at a time when the Fourth Estate is under its greatest test, we gather not only as reporters on the frontlines — but as storytellers connecting the threads across generations, communities, and crises. We celebrate the journalists who hold the line and trace the through lines — with clarity, courage, and conviction.

Connect with journalists, network with peers, learn, inform, and educate during a full weekend of events and activity.

On Friday, October 10th, we are kicking off with a dazzling evening gala at the Glasshouse in Chelsea.

On Saturday, October 11th, we'll have a full day of panels, workshops, and collaborative activity at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY in Midtown Manhattan.

Register here.

Friday, October 10

Join us at 6 p.m. for a cocktail reception to kick off the weekend. Then at 7 p.m., we'll announce the award winners and hear from our keynote speaker, Hari Sreenivasan!

Hari is a host for Amanpour and Company, which airs domestically on PBS and internationally on CNN International. He's also the host and executive producer for Take On Fake, a YouTube channel focused on misinformation and disinformation. Hari has worked for several PBS programs including SciTech Now and the PBS Newshour, where he anchored PBS NewsHour Weekend for eight years. Prior to his time at PBS he worked at the CBS and ABC News networks as well as local television stations in San Francisco, Raleigh, NC and Yakima, Washington. He's also been honored with national and local Emmy Awards as well as a Webby award.

Saturday, October 11

9 a.m.: Registration and Networking Breakfast

10 a.m.: State of the Fourth Estate

This keynote conversation between two top journalists will examine the pressing challenges and opportunities facing journalism today. From disinformation and political polarization to economic pressures and technological disruption, leading voices will examine how the industry can adapt while upholding accountability and public trust. This conversation takes stock of the profession’s future and explores what it will take for journalism to remain resilient in a rapidly changing world.

Featuring: Bina Venkataraman, former Washington Post columnist and editorial leader in conversation with Sudeep Reddy, the new Washington Bureau Chief for MSNBC

11 a.m.: Covering Climate: Everyone's Story

Journalists are at the forefront of covering climate change, documenting how it’s reshaping both local communities and the world at large. This panel will explore how climate coverage has becomes increasingly politicized, the challenges reporters face on the climate beat, the different angles within climate reporting (international, political, enterprise, local) and the tools and skills needed to tell these complex stories with impact and accuracy.

Moderator: Nirmal Mulaikal, SAJA Board Member and Co-host and Producer of POLITICO Energy and POLITICO Tech

Panelists: Somini Sengupta, international climate reporter at The New York Times; Zahra Hirji, climate reporter at Bloomberg News; Dharna Noor, fossil fuels and climate reporter at The Guardian; Lauren Dalban, reporter at Inside Climate News

11 a.m.: Gaza and the Fight to Bear Witness

We will look at the perils of reporting in conflict zones, the emotional toll on journalists, and the internal battles inside newsrooms as editors and reporters navigate accusations of bias, pressure to take sides, and the challenge of sustaining empathy in the face of polarization. We also plan to discuss how the press can use its collective voice to press for greater access to Gaza.

Moderator: Azmat Khan, Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist and  Birch Professor at Columbia Journalism School, where she also directs the Simon and June Li Center for Global Journalism.

Panelists: Jodie Ginsberg, the chief executive officer of the Committee to Protect Journalists; Imtiaz Tyab, senior foreign correspondent at CBS News; Ashish Malhotra, former Al Jazeera producer

12 p.m.: The New News

As newsrooms expand into audio and video, journalists need a mix of technical and editorial skills to keep up. This panel will explore what’s in demand—from production and editing to storytelling and audience engagement. Panelists will share career pathways in both traditional and non-traditional media. Attendees will leave with practical guidance on adapting their skills as technology reshapes journalism.

Moderator: Nirmal Mulaikal, SAJA Board Member and Co-host and Producer of POLITICO Energy and POLITICO Tech

Panelists: Veda Shastri, Senior Producer at National Geographic; Nayeema Raza, host, Smart Girl Dumb Questions; Mukul Devichand, deputy audio editor at The New York Times

12 p.m.: Burnout and Boundaries

From reporting on conflicts like Gaza to covering climate disasters and political upheaval, journalists today are navigating a relentless cycle of high-stakes stories—often while working inside newsrooms under intense political and cultural pressures. For many, the work is compounded by the unspoken norms of overwork, the lack of institutional support for mental health, and the personal impact of bearing witness to suffering almost daily.

Moderator: Reena Ninan, award-winning TV journalist and the founder of Good Trouble Productions

Panelists: Dr. Siddharth Shah, the president and founder of Greenleaf Integrative, which specializes in PTSD from working in conflict and disaster zones; Naveen Dhaliwal, reporter at CBS; Deepti Hajela, former SAJA president and AP reporter writing about trends and culture; Ash-har Quraishi, CBS News national correspondent; Sharaf Mowjood, former SAJA president and producer for CBS's News Race and Culture Unit

1 p.m.: Networking Lunch

1: 45 p.m.: Relentless Reporting: How Journalism Drives Reform

How investigative journalism and prison-based storytelling expose wrongful convictions and elevate the voices of incarcerated writers. Our panelists discuss the ethics, impact, and future of reporting that drives justice and reforms the narrative on mass incarceration.

Moderator: Aisha Sultan, nationally syndicated columnist at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Panelists: Dan Slepian, senior investigative producer at NBC News and Dateline;  Shaheen Pasha, co-founder and chief education officer at the Prison Journalism Project; Adnan Sultan, senior staff attorney at the Innocence Project

1:45 p.m.: The Substack Stampede

Top journalists are leaving legacy newsrooms for Substack-style independence—chasing creative freedom, loyal audiences, and better pay. But is this the future of journalism or just a high-risk hustle in a crowded subscription economy?

Moderator: Jennifer Chowdhury, former SAJA board member and founder of Port of Entry media, a narrative journalism and digital storytelling platform and agency

Panelists: Talib Visram, running Substack newsletter about the lead-up to the 2026 World Cup and former Fast Company reporter; Ambreen Ali, communications and media leader and founder of Central Desi; Simi Shah, media entrepreneur and founder and CEO of South Asian Trailblazers

2 p.m.: Resume Workshop

From 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., Anusha Shrivastava, the associate dean of career development at Columbia Journalism School and former SAJA president, will critique and help improve your resume!

2:45 p.m.: Beyond the Newsroom: Documentaries and Journalism

How do documentaries fit in the larger journalism landscape? Often, we think of documentary as an extension of broadcast journalism, or the long-form news investigative stories we see on Dateline. But it's more. We'll talk to South Asian documentarians about how they got into the field.

Moderator: Indira Somani, SAJA Board Member, former Vice President and documentary filmmaker

Panelists: Prerana Thakurdesai, director, producer and former SAJA President; Anjali Kamat, Peabody-winning filmmaker and journalist; Poh Si Teng, Oscar- and Emmy-nominated filmmaker; Rahul Rohatgi, Emmy- and Peabody-winning producer

3 p.m.: Career Pivots and Pitfalls

Accomplished journalists talk about navigating career pivots and professional setbacks. From shifting beats to moving across platforms or stepping into new roles, these storytellers will share how they adapted, rebuilt, and found new purpose in a changing media landscape. Their experiences offer practical lessons on resilience, growth, and charting unexpected paths—insights for anyone facing transition in journalism or beyond.

Moderator: Raakhee Mirchandani, vice president, custom programming and anchor for The Trust at the Wall Street Journal

Panelists: Bilal Lakhani, communications specialist and former columnist for Express Tribune; Gitika Ahuja, senior vice president, Compass and top realtor and former ABC producer

4 p.m.: The Promises and Perils of AI

We'll explore the urgent intersection of data, disinformation, and journalism—covering how communicators, platforms, and media organizations are measuring impact and countering manipulation in the AI revolution

Moderator: Mihir Zaveri, former SAJA president and reporter at The New York Times

Panelists: Rubina Fillion, associate editorial director of AI Initiatives at The New York Times; Varsha Bansal, tech reporter and former Pulitzer Center AI Accountability Fellow; Upasna Gautam, chair of the News Product Alliance  and tech advisor