Karan Thapar to receive IPI India Award for Excellence in Journalism, 2013

Instituted by India Chapter of the International Press Institute, the Award comprises a cash prize of Rs. Two Lakh, a trophy and a citation

BestMediaInfo Bureau | Delhi | October 11, 2013

Karan Thapar

The India Chapter of the International Press Institute announced that the Jury had unanimously chosen KaranThapar, television interviewer, for his sharp interviews on the Devil's Advocate programme on CNN IBN news channel for the Award.

The Jury particularly commended that in his interviews with decision-makers from different fields, Thapar had focused on contemporary issues and on a range of subjects of public importance during the year 2012.

The selection was made by a distinguished jury of Editors and Publishers headed by Justice Dr. A.S. Anand, former Chief Justice of India and former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission. The members of the jury are N. Ravi, Chairman, IPI -India & Director, The Hindu; M.K. Razdan, Editor-in-chief, Press Trust of India; T.N. Ninan, Chairman & Chief Editor, Business Standard; and Riyad Mathew, Senior Assistant Editor, Malayala Manorama.

The Award will be presented at a function in New Delhi during November 2013.

IPI India had instituted the annual award in 2003 to recognise and honour the best work done by an Indian media organisation or journalist working in print, radio, television and internet mediums, in furtherance of public interest, including safeguarding of freedom of the press and other freedoms such as Human Rights. The first award for Excellence in Journalism, 2003 was given to Indian Express for its reporting of the Gujarat Riots and its aftermath, and second award for Excellence in Journalism, 2004 for was given to NDTV for its expose of the baby-swapping racket in Hyderabad, and the corruption trail of the Telgi stamp scam. The Jury did not find any entry eligible for the Award for Excellence in Journalism, 2005 & 2008.

In 2006, the Award was given to Indian Express for its investigations of the Bihar flood scam and vanishing tigers. In 2007, the Outlook magazine was selected for the investigation into two defence scams relating to purchase of Scorpene submarines and the leaks from the Navy War room. The Award in 2009 was jointly awarded to Bidisha Goshal of The Week for her investigation into the sexual victimisation of the widows of farmers who committed suicide in Vidarbha, and to The Indian Express for its investigation into the Hindu terror links in the Malegaon and Modasa blasts.

Tehelka was the recipient of the Award in 2010 for its graphic expose of the cold-blooded execution of an innocent bystander by the security forces in Manipur. In 2011 award was jointly won by Tehelka for its expose' of the "rent a riot" tactics of the Sree Rama Sene in Karnataka & The Week for its' sustained investigation into the sham medical and dental colleges which had no doctors, no patients and no facilities, and yet were permitted to award medical and dental degrees to thousands of students. The Tribune newspaper was the recipient of the Award in 2012 for its in-depth series on the loot of Punjab's public transport by powerful politicians and bureaucrats, leading to huge burden on the people of Punjab.

The India Chapter of the IPI is an active forum of Editors, Publishers and Senior Executives of newspapers, magazines and news agencies, all of whom are members of the International Press Institute. The India Chapter has successfully hosted the World Congress and General Assembly of the IPI in India in 1966 and 2001, and is taking up various issues related to Press Freedom.

Founded 60 years ago in New York by a group of editors from 15 countries, the International Press Institute has grown into a truly global organisation committed to furtherance of the freedom of press. Vienna-based IPI is committed to promotion of free exchange of accurate and balanced news among nations. It has also been in the forefront of safeguarding the freedom of the press through protests to governments and organisations against any violation of press freedom and restrictions imposed on the free flow of information.

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