India Currents Wins CNPA Journalism Awards In Los Angeles

India Currents at CNPA

India Currents writers won journalism excellence awards at the prestigious California News Publishers Association Awards to celebrate California’s top newsrooms, on Saturday, July 13 at the Sheraton Universal Hotel Grand Ballroom in Universal City, Los Angeles.

They represent the top finalists statewide, across various categories and divisions in CNPA’s annual journalism contest with their entries placed among the top 5 submissions in that particular category and division.

All finalists were selected by an esteemed panel of judges, who carefully evaluated numerous entries based on criteria such as excellence in writing, reporting, visual storytelling, editing, design, and innovation. “Their outstanding work has earned them the distinction of being recognized as the best of the best in their respective fields,” said CNPA.

Vandana Kumar speaks on panel

The afternoon began with Knowledge and Network Sessions between 2:30-5 pm., created by members of the CNPA Board of Directors and Events Committee. India Currents publisher Vandana Kumar served as a panelist at a session on ‘Engaging Audiences Off Platform.’ Along with co-panelists Joe Rivano Barros (Senior Editor at Mission Local) and Alicia Cocci (Senior Audience Engagement Editor, San Francisco Standard), Kumar spoke about how newsrooms are putting new emphasis on WhatsApp, texting, and other services to strengthen ties with readers.

“For us this was a new initiative,” said Kumar, describing the WhatApp project India Currents introduced this year to connect in innovative ways with its audience.

“(WhatsApp) is not just a place to send out stories. It’s not Facebook.” The India Currents WhatsApp project allowed the team to share content via text, videos, and voice messages, using multiple languages, as well as keep in touch with news and events trending in the diaspora. “That’s the unique approach we took,” added Kumar.

Julian Do from India Currents media partner, Ethnic Media Services, moderated the session.

India Currents Prize winners

Articles by India Currents writers were awarded top prizes in their division for various categories, including health, community engagement, art and literature, as well as travel.

Meera Kymal and Anjana Nagarajan-Butaney won Second Place for In Depth Reporting, with their article ‘ To Age In Place ‘ about the aging challenges faced by Indian American seniors. Judges commented, “A perfect example of highlighting a societal issue through the lens of one family’s compelling personal story. Crisp, thorough writing cut straight to the problems and the attempts to solve them. Touching photos interspersed throughout helps give readers an insight into the subject’s lives.”

Our Arts & Entertainment coverage also won Second Place with Raji Pillai’s ‘ Abraham Verghese Is An Interpreter Of Maladies in ‘The Covenant of Water ’ and Meera Kymal’s ‘ Royal Udaipur Paintings Unveil A Splendid Lake City At The Smithsonian .’

Sree Sripathy won a Third Place Audience/Community Engagement award for her ‘ We Belong ‘ series. Judges commented, “ Just beautifully executed and really showcases the different lifestyles of one community. Although the publication focuses on just one community group, it still taps into what makes the community group…a community group .”

In the Travel and Tourism section, our writers won Fourth Place for stories set in India.

Ranjani Rao, for ‘ Bhutan Stays Authentic In A fast-Moving, Often Fake & Always Fickle World ‘
Nirupama Vaidyanathan, for ‘ Varanasi: The Clamor Seeks Silence ‘
Vijay Rajvaidya, for ‘ A Pilgrimage On Foot To India’s 12 Jyotirlinga Temples ‘

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