FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 

SAJA names its 2025 journalism award winners and finalists

New York City, November 4, 2025 – The South Asian Journalists Association (SAJA) has announced the winners and finalists of its 2025 journalism awards. The awards recognize outstanding work by or about South Asia and its diaspora, and help further SAJA’s mission of supporting newsroom diversity and promoting better coverage of issues related to South Asia worldwide. 

Journalists competed in six categories. Here are the winners and finalists:

General Excellence

Winner: The Wizard of Ozy, by Shaan Merchant, (Slate) 

Judges’ Citation: The Ozy piece stood out for being a strong investigative piece layered with a personal/professional narrative. It's a tough balance to achieve and Shaan's piece remained engaging, raising broader questions about race. The story goes into uncomfortable areas about race and society - always in pursuit of truth. We found the writing to be courageous given how hard it is to master this style of narrative/ investigative journalism.

Winner: Healing after Helene, by Zulekha Nathoo (USA Today)

Judges’ Citation: Healing after Helene is a strong, visual story, touching upon a broad range of issues, told through a diverse group of voices - in ways traditional TV outlets often fail to do. It's a hard story to do, given the ground realities of reporting from a disaster-hit area. What's also impressive is that the entrant, Zulekha wore many hats - serving as correspondent as well as co-producer and co-writer. We found the story not only stood out among its peers at the awards but also among other pieces we have seen about the impact of Helene.

Finalist: 

• America Through Food by Tejal Rao 

• • Is a Taco a Sandwich? No. Yes. Well, It Depends on the Law.

  • Why Do We Love ‘The Bear’ So Much?

  • California’s Rice Royalty Is Stepping Down

The Daniel Pearl Award

Winner: Brutality of Sugar, by Megha Rajagopalan and Qadri Inzamam (New York Times)

Judges’ Citation: The story is very powerful and has not been covered before in this way. The way the connection was made all the way to the large corporations is unique.

(No finalists) 

Outstanding Student Journalism Award

Winner:“‘Fighting for 40 years’: The tiny Texas community facing down Big Industry," by Aina Marzia (Al Jazeera) 

Judges’ Citation: The judges were impressed  by the reporter's thoughtful and complete picture of the environmental  issue described, providing a clear explanation of a complex controversy. They also were impressed by the fact that the reporter gathered all this material on her own without depending on the resources of a news organization backing her.

Finalists:

• "Indigenous Rights Are Rolled Back for Profits," by Subhanjane Das (PassBlue)

• "Older Adults and Suicide," by Sreejita Patra (Wisconsin Watch)

Outstanding Arts, Culture, and Lifestyle Reporting Award

Winner: “How modernity is rewriting Taliban rule,” by Rick Noack (Washington Post)
Judges’ Citation: The series of stories by Rick Noack for the Washington Post is an impressive feat of on-the-ground reporting and source building. The judges were struck by the fresh angles brought to a region that can often be covered through a narrow geopolitical lens, particularly in examining how Taliban rule is being reshaped by the internet and forces of globalized modernity. His reporting offers readers an original and nuanced perspective on cultural and lifestyle shifts that can sometimes be overlooked in broader coverage of the region.

Finalist: 

• India’s plan to teach traditional science by Vaishnavi Chandrashekar

Outstanding Business Reporting Award 

Winner: "Wives Out: Apple supplier Foxconn rejects married women from India iPhone jobs," by Praveen Paramasivam, Munsif Vengattil and Aditya Kalra (Reuters) 

Judges’ Citation: The story reveals systematic discrimination against married women at a Foxconn iPhone assembly plant in Tamil Nadu — one of India's highest-profile foreign investments. The reporting uncovered that married women were being rejected from jobs on grounds they had more family responsibilities than unmarried women, a practice that violated both Foxconn's and Apple's own anti-discrimination policies. The impact of the coverage was immediate and significant. Within months, Foxconn quietly changed its recruitment protocols, instructing hiring agents to remove age, gender, and marital criteria from job advertisements.This piece exemplifies how thorough, persistent business reporting can reveal systemic injustice and catalyze reform.

Finalists:

• India's Abandoned Elders by Matt Sedensky (The Associated Press) 

• How a Nobel Laureate Became a Political Target in Bangladesh by Bloomberg Originals

Outstanding International Reporting Award 

Winner: “Riders in the smog: Pollution is poisoning gig workers,” by Zuha Siddiqui, Samriddhi Sakunia and Faisal Mahmud (Rest of World)

Judges’ Citation:This was an innovative approach to investigating a familiar issue, using air quality monitors to track gig workers’ daily exposure to carcinogenic pollutants in India. It stood out as an excellent example of cross-border reporting in South Asia, weaving together stories from Lahore, Delhi, and Dhaka. The presentation was equally impressive and the story brilliantly linked the challenges of climate change, labor rights, and public health.

Finalists:

• “Election of Mexico’s First Female President,” by Maya Averbuch (Bloomberg)

• • AMLO Spends Like Never Before to Set Up Successor’s Victory in Mexico

  • AMLO Ran Mexico as a Maverick. His Protege Is Playing It Safe

  • How Mexico City Averted All-Out Drought

• “Pakistan polio workers fighting the virus one house at a time,” by Faras Ghani (Al Jazeera) 

Interested in being a leader and shaping the future of the South Asian Journalists Association? Run for a seat on our board!

Fill out this form if you are interested (and read the instructions carefully!)

All the details you need are on the form.

Press Release: SAJA announces 2025 Scholarship Award Recipients FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: SAJA names its 2025 scholarship recipients New York City, July 15, 2025 – The South Asian Journalists Association (SAJA) has announced the names of the recipients of its 2025 scholarship funds. This year, six students who are currently enrolled in journalism programs or in pursuit of a journalism degree have been awarded $5,000 each, for a total disbursement of $30,000 in scholarship funds from SAJA. The following students have been selected for this year’s scholarship:  Raginee Sudhir Chaurey, M.J. (Master of Journalism), UC Berkeley Areeba Fatima, M.S. in Data Journalism, Columbia University Nazeefa Ahmed, M.A. in Journalism, Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY Ananya Chag, B.S. in Journalism, Northwestern University, Medill School of Journalism Tanka Dhakal, M.S. in Media, Indiana University, The Media School Neil Lazurus, B.A. in Journalism, American University, School of Communication To ensure a fair and robust evaluation process of each application, a committee of judges appointed by the board are enlisted to review each student based on need, interest in journalism (e.g. related coursework, internships, part-time work), and interest in contributing to the SAJA community. The following individuals were recruited to judge the candidate’s full profile, including two existing SAJA Board Members: Indira Somani, Ph.D., Documentary Director/Producer; SAJA Board Member Mihir Zaveri, Reporter, The New York Times; SAJA Board Member Dr. Maurine Beasley, Professor Emerita, University of Maryland Dr. Stacey Woelfel, Professor Emeritus, University of Missouri Prof. Suzanne Lysak, Associate Professor, Chapman University Juhi Doshi, Associate Producer, Meet the Press In its commitment to support and promote high-quality journalism, SAJA oversees this annual scholarship program to help students afford tuition. In 2025, the SAJA board elected to raise the total scholarship fund to $30,000 total and increase the number of recipients in order to provide stronger financial support to each individual.  ABOUT SAJA Founded in March 1994 with just 18 members, the South Asian Journalists Association (SAJA) now represents more than 1,000 journalists of South Asian origin across the U.S. and Canada. SAJA serves as a network for training, inspiration, and support—not only for South Asian journalists but for anyone covering South Asia and its diaspora. SAJA also aims to improve the coverage of the Subcontinent and its diaspora.

Notes from SAJA Board Member JOHN LAXMI. If you'd like to be on his excellent mailing list tracking major trends and issues in journalism and media coverage of South Asia and the diaspora: johnlaxmius@gmail.com 

Three South Asians have won the 2025 Pulitzer Prize and two were among finalists. A book on the killing of Indian journalist Gauri Lankesh was a finalist in the book category.

Public Service

ProPublica, for urgent reporting by Kavitha Surana, Lizzie Presser, Cassandra Jaramillo and Stacy Kranitz

About pregnant women who died after doctors delayed urgently needed care for fear of violating vague “life of the mother” exceptions in states with strict abortion laws.

Kavitha Surana joined ProPublica as a national reporter covering access to reproductive health care in 2022. Before that, she reported on housing, law enforcement and health care at the Tampa Bay Times and BuzzFeed News. She was previously a fellow at ProPublica covering immigration. She got her start interning at The Associated Press in Rome and CNN, and as a fellow at Foreign Policy magazine.

Explanatory Reporting

Azam Ahmed, Matthieu Aikins, contributing writer, and Christina Goldbaum of The New York Times

For an authoritative examination of how the United States sowed the seeds of its own failure in Afghanistan, primarily by supporting murderous militia that drove civilians to the Taliban.

Azam Ahmed is an investigative reporter for The New York Times, focusing on long-form narrative projects.

In 2019, when he was the bureau chief for Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, Mr. Ahmed reported a series on the homicide crisis in Latin America, the deadliest region in the world, outlining the root causes of the violence. Each piece delved into a specific issue in a specific country, using intimate portraits of those living on the front lines of the crisis.

Finalists: Alexia Campbell, April Simpson and Pratheek Rebala of the Center for Public Integrity

For using innovative technology, archival research and personal storytelling to reveal how land titles granted to formerly enslaved Black men and women in the wake of the Civil War were unjustly revoked.

Pratheek Rebala was an investigative journalist and news developer at the Center for Public Integrity. He is now a computational journalist with ProPublica. His work at CPI received a Goldsmith Prize for Investigative Reporting as well as other honors from the Society of Professional Journalists, Editors & Publishers, Society of Environmental Journalists and more. Prior to joining CPI, Rebala worked on the data team at Time Magazine. He holds a bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from George Washington University.

Editorial Writing

Raj Mankad, Sharon Steinmann, Lisa Falkenberg and Leah Binkovitz of the Houston Chronicle

For a powerful series on dangerous train crossings that kept a rigorous focus on the people and communities at risk as the newspaper demanded urgent action.

Raj Mankad is the deputy opinion editor at the Houston Chronicle. He has a PhD from the University of Houston Creative Writing Program, and has edited and written for publications that specialize in economics, philosophy, literature, architecture, science and health. He previously served as the Chronicle’s op-ed editor and won the 2021 Texas APME first place in general column writing.

Feature Writing

Finalist: Anand Gopal, contributing writer, The New Yorker

For a deeply reported narrative of a woman’s life before and after she is imprisoned at an isolated detention camp in eastern Syria, illustrating how love and family intersect with larger geopolitical concerns.

Anand Gopal is a contributing writer at The New Yorker. He writes about conflict, democracy, and inequality, and his book “No Good Men Among the Living: America, the Taliban, and the War Through Afghan Eyes” was a finalist for the National Book Award and the Pulitzer Prize. He has won a National Magazine Award, a George Polk Award, and multiple Overseas Press Club awards for his reporting on Iraq and Syria. He has a Ph.D. from Columbia University.

General Nonfiction

Finalist: "I Am on the Hit List: A Journalist’s Murder and the Rise of Autocracy in India," by Rollo Romig (Penguin Books)

A captivating account of a crusading South Indian’s [journalist Gauri Lankesh] murder, a mystery rich in local culture and politics that also connects to such global themes as authoritarianism, fundamentalism and other threats to free expression.

Born and raised in Detroit, Rollo Romig is a journalist, essayist, and critic. He has been reporting on South India since 2013, most often for The New York Times Magazine.

For the full list and details of winners and awards, see: https://www.pulitzer.org/prize-winners-by-year/2025

Update, Jan 13, 2025: SAJA's 2025 Board met for the first time on Jan. 8 and elected the following slate of office bearers:

SAJA BOARD 2025:

2025 Executive Committee: 

• President: Sree Sreenivasan (re-elected President; second year of two-year board term)

• VP & Conf Chair: Kiran Khalid (first year of two-year board term)

• Secretary: 

• Treasurer: Allana Akhtar (previously served as Secretary; second year of two-year board term)

• Controller (to work jointly with Treasurer): Mihir Zaveri (former President; first year of new two-year board term)

• Director of Comms: Tania Rahman (re-elected Director of Comms; second year of two-year board term)

General board members:

• John Laxmi (served as Treasurer for 25 years; second year of two-year board term)

• Pia Sarkar (first year of new two-year board term)

• Rekha Shanmugam (first year of two-year board term)

• Indira Somani (first year of two-year board term)

NOTE: Kiran and Indira served on the SAJA Board 15 and 23 years ago respectively. Our board members live in NYC, Philly, DC, Atlanta, Louisville and LA.

---
Update, Jan 2, 2025: Five members were elected to the SAJA board, joining the continuing members.

• Kiran Khalid (new; served 15 years ago)
• Indira Somani (new; served 23 years ago)
• Mihir Zaveri (returning)
• Pia Sarkar (returning)
• Rekha Shanmugam (new)

Elect your new SAJA board!

Read more about each candidate here.

Cast your vote here. Only full and lifetime members are eligible to vote.

Good luck to all!

SAJA STATEMENT ON HARASSMENT OF JOURNALISTS
October 30, 2024

SAJA, the South Asian Journalists Association, strongly condemns the online harassment — including threats of violence and misogynistic abuse —  against journalists who authored an article published in Al Jazeera on October 15, 2024. 

The article, reported with support from Columbia Journalism School, brought to light the Capitol Hill lobbying efforts of the Hindu American Foundation, a U.S.-based religious charitable organization. 

SAJA upholds the right of journalists to do their jobs freely and without fear of intimidation; to report the truth and hold those in power accountable, while remaining safe.

SAJA appeals to all individuals and groups to engage in civil discussions and debates. 

If you are a journalist experiencing online harassment for your work, here are some resources:

• Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ): Offers digital security workshops and consultations to help journalists prepare for and manage online harassment.

• International Women’s Media Foundation (IWMF): Provides digital security assistance and has an Emergency Fund offering grants for psychological and medical care, temporary relocation, and legal aid for women journalists. IWMF Digital Safety Kit pdf.

• Coalition Against Online Violence: Offers emergency support for journalists facing online harassment, including digital security and psychosocial assistance. 

• Access Now: Provides 24/7 emergency digital security support in multiple languages.

ABOUT US: SAJA, the South Asian Journalists Association, founded in NYC in March 1994 with 18 members, represents 1,000+ journalists of South Asian origin working in the US and Canada. It serves as a network for education, inspiration and training for those journalists and those covering South Asia and the South Asian diaspora. SAJA aims to upgrade the coverage of South Asia and improve journalism standards. Over the years, SAJA has given out more than $400,000 in scholarships and fellowships. More info at SAJA.org · X: @sajaHQ · IG: @thesajaofficial

SAJA STATEMENT ON STUDENT JOURNALISTS COVERING CAMPUS PROTESTS IN THE U.S.
May 8, 2024

SAJA, the South Asian Journalists Association, would like to express its support and admiration for the tireless efforts of student journalists covering the recent and ongoing protests on campuses around the U.S. 

As places to learn, grow, and produce high quality work, student-led news outlets are a crucial part of the journalism ecosystem. And, as police and government agencies are called onto campuses, these newsrooms and journalists are also on the frontlines of press freedom. 

We encourage all student journalists to keep up the good work and we will continue to support your efforts.

✒️

ABOUT US: SAJA, founded in March 1994 with 18 members, represents 1,000+ journalists of South Asian origin working in the US and Canada. It serves as a network for education, inspiration and training for those journalists and those covering South Asia and South Asian diaspora. SAJA aims to upgrade the coverage of South Asia and uplift the standards of journalism. Over the years, SAJA has given out more than $400,000 in scholarships and fellowships.
Our 30th anniversary conference and gala awards dinner is Oct 11-12 in NYC.
More info at SAJA.org · X: @sajaHQ · IG: @thesajaoffial

• Share the statement versions on IG, LinkedIn, Twitter

Greetings from SAJA’s 2024 Board:

The South Asian Journalists Association is back with a brand-new board and officers, a roadmap of social events coming your way, new journalistic opportunities for career growth, and more.

This year marks 30 years of SAJA. We are immensely proud of how much our nonprofit has grown over the decades since its humble beginnings, from our many galas, events, and newsroom visits to networking with our members across different cities and highlighting our members' important work. 

Between an eroding trust in journalism and layoffs at every turn, the media is in a clear state of crisis. This underscores how critical it is for SAJA to exist as a resource for our growing diaspora of South Asian journalists across the U.S. and Canada to provide support, mentorship and nurture our community.

Be sure to look out for future communications regarding the 30th anniversary – we can’t wait to celebrate with you. In addition, we plan to continue expanding our existing programs, create and surface new events and opportunities for our members, and communicate information regarding grants and fellowships.

With a thriving new board and events on the horizon, we look forward to the year ahead with you all. Please don’t hesitate to reach out  with any questions or feedback.

Are you receiving this email and not a member of SAJA yet? Register to become a member today. 

UPDATES FROM THE TEAM
Last December, current SAJA members voted for its 2024 board – you can find the new slate of members here. On Jan. 21, 2024, our first board meeting took place in-person and via Zoom, where the following board members have taken on leadership roles via a unanimous vote of the Board:

SAJA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE: 

• President: Sree Sreenivasan (Co-founder and CEO, Digimentors)
• Vice President: Priyanka Vora (Director, Audience at Axios)
• Director of Communications: Tania Rahman (Social Media Director, Fast Company)
• Secretary: Allana Akhtar (Freelance writer)
• Treasurer: John Laxmi (Investor, podcaster)

REST OF THE SAJA BOARD:

• Jennifer Chowdhury, Freelancer, New York 

• Divya Karthikeyan, Louisville Public Media 

• Karen Mahabir, Associated Press, New York 

• Sabrina Malhi, The Washington Post, Washington DC 

• Mythili Sampathkumar, Freelancer, New York (President Emeritus)

• Pia Sarkar, Associated Press, Philadelphia 

• Mihir Zaveri, The New York Times, New York 

Sree, the selfie king, with the board. From left, Sree, Allana, Karen, John, Pia, Tania, Priya and Mihir (other SAJA Board members attending remotely: Mythili, Divya, Sabrina, Jenn). And the Executive Committee: Sree, Priya, John, Tania and Allana.

A message from Sree, our new President and SAJA co-founder:

Dear SAJA members, colleagues and friends:

I know some of you are surprised to learn that I am back as SAJA President, 20 years after stepping down as inaugural President and a dozen years after leaving the Board. I decided to run for the Board and stand for President for several reasons.

Almost everything I've gotten in my career — including some of my dearest friends — has been a result of my work with this wonderful organization. When I exited the board, I expected to just cheer from afar for the rest of my life. 

But in this SAJA’s 30th anniversary year, I’ve learned that cheering from afar isn’t that helpful. At a time when journalism and journalists are facing everything from financial disaster to widespread disinformation and attacks on their legitimacy, SAJA must continue to play a critical role in helping its members and the profession at large. 

My wonderful Board colleagues (which include three former Presidents) are already planning this year’s activities and we look forward to working with our members and partner organizations on continuing our existing programs and adding exciting new ones.
Here’s how you can help:

• Send us your ideas, needs, suggestions at president@saja.org (also looking for your career updates, moves, etc).

• We are one of the few major journalism organizations that is 100 percent volunteer-run, so we need all the help we can get.

• Encourage friends to sign up for membership (you don’t have to be South Asian to be a member) and renew your own!

• We will be giving out tens of thousands of dollars in scholarships, fellowships and more, so we will need sponsors and donors. If you’d like to be a sponsor this year, please write to president@saja.org. If you can make a donation now or later, please do.

Looking forward to working with you all!
– Sree Sreenivasan

ANNOUNCEMENTS, EVENTS AND MORE:

• SAJA-NY Event: Amitav Ghosh at Asia Society

• • On Thursday, February 29 at 6:30pm ET, join SAJA and Asia Society for a conversation and book signing with award-winning author Amitav Ghosh. At this event, Ghosh will discuss his latest book, Smoke and Ashes, which was named a Most Anticipated Book of 2024 by Foreign Policy, Literary Hub, and the Millions. The conversation will be moderated by professor and former BBC journalist Razia Iqbal.
  • Purchase your tickets here. Can’t make it to NYC? The event will be recorded and available online the next day. 

• A message from the IIJF

• • The Institute for Independent Journalists Foundation is conducting a census of journalists who were laid off and bought out recently. If you’ve experienced a journalism layoff or buyout in the past year, the survey needs your input.  It should take 5-7 minutes to complete.

• SAJA-Knowledge @Wharton

• • The SAJA-Knowledge at Wharton Funding Opportunity was established in 1999 in collaboration with the South Asian Journalists Association. This unique program is designed to enhance the quality of minority business journalism. It provides a member of SAJA (as well as up to one journalist each belonging to AAJA, NAHJ, NAJA & NLGJA) with funding to attend the Wharton Seminars for Business Journalists in Philadelphia.
  • More info can be found here. Look out for updates and a call for applications soon. 

• Join NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists for their 4th annual Student Conference

• • This virtual gathering will take place February 23-24, and will include 10+ informational sessions as well as an Internship and Career Fair. Students and early-career journalists will have the opportunity to learn from industry experts, connect with fellow student journalists and with recruiters from top news organizations, and to explore the intersections of the media world and LGBTQ+ identities. 
  • In addition, students who actively participate in the conference will receive a $25 discount on registration for the 2024 National Convention in Los Angeles! 
  • Registration is available here and is free for NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists Student Members and $25 for non-members. 

• Free webinar: “Transforming political reporting and putting people first.”

• • On Tuesday, 2/6 from 12-1pm ET, join the Knight Center’sfree webinar, "Putting the Public First in Political Coverage," in partnership with the Solutions Journalism Network. This one-hour webinar, along with a free online course on elections coverage in April, will offer valuable insights into effective political reporting.
  • The webinar, moderated by Jaisal Noor, Democracy Initiative Manager at the Solutions Journalism Network, will include the following distinguished panelists:

In the news:

• CUNY’s Newmark School of Journalism on path to be tuition-free. Our friends at the Newmark School, who have hosted many SAJA events over the years, aim to become the first top-tier graduate journalism school in the United States to offer fully free tuition in perpetuity to its entire student body. Congrats to former SAJA President Sandeep Junnarkar and other faculty and staff.
  

Be sure to follow SAJA on Instagram, LinkedIn,  X, Threads

-30-

The South Asian Journalists Association is pleased to announce the election of three new members to its Board for 2024, as well as the reelection of two existing members.

Joining the board are Sree Sreenivasan, Allana Akhtar, Divya Karthikeyan, and Tania Rahman. Sreenivasan helped found SAJA in 1994 and will help the organization celebrate its 30th year. 

The two returning board members are current President Mythili Sampathkumar and Treasurer John Laxmi. 

The new slate of board members, effective January 1, 2024, is listed below with their terms:

• Allana Akhtar, Business Insider, New York (2024-25)
• Jennifer Chowdhury, Freelancer, New York (2023-24)
• Divya Karthikeyan, Louisville Public Radio (2023-24)
• John Laxmi, Freelancer, Atlanta (2024-25)
• Karen Mahabir, Associated Press, New York (2023-24)
• Sabrina Malhi, Washington Post, Washington DC (2023-24)
• Tania Rahman, Fast Company, New York (2024-25)
• Mythili Sampathkumar, Freelancer, New York (2024-25)
• Pia Sarkar, Associated Press, Philadelphia (2023-24)
• Sree Sreenivasan, Digimentors, New York (2024-25)
• Priyanka Vora, Axios, New York (2023-24)
• Mihir Zaveri, New York Times, New York (2023-24)

-30-