Bengaluru, Oct 6: Jugal Purohit (34), a Senior Broadcast Journalist with British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) India, has been selected for the 3rd G Santha Teacher Memorial Journalism Award 2018. The award has been instituted by Inspired Indian Foundation (IIF), a writers’ movement spearheading silent missions for unsung heroes.
The award will be presented on October 30, 2018 in Bengaluru, during the 3rd Guru Kalam Memorial Lecture being organised by IIF in association with Abdul Kalam International Foundation (AKIF), Rameswaram.
The award carries a specially crafted crystal memento, a certificate of appreciation and Rs 10,000 in cash. The awardee will be onboard IIF’s national missions as a special invitee for the next one year.
Rekha Satheesh, a Senior Chief Sub-Editor with The New Indian Express, Kochi, was the first recipient of the award in 2016, while Rajeev Kumar Mishra, a Chief Sub-Editor with the Bengaluru edition of Rajasthan Patrika, won the honour in 2017.
The award has been instituted in the memory of late G Shantha, an English teacher hailing from Thalavadi in Kerala’s Alappuzha district. Born in 1942, she first taught English in colleges (Seethalakshmi Ramaswami College, Trichy, Tamil Nadu and Devasom Board College, Thalayolaparambu, Kerala) before moving to Mahatma High School for Girls, Chennithala, Kerala. She passed away at the age of 65 in 2007, following a heart attack. In addition to her contributions as a teacher, she worked selflessly to promote the English language among rural children. She also wrote short stories and poetry.
Deserving candidate: Dr Kota Harinarayana
This year, the jury selected Jugal Purohit from a list of five journalists across India shortlisted from various streams. Trustees, Mentors of IIF, a representative of AKIF and a relative of late G Santha teacher constituted this year’s jury.
“Interesting selection process, as we kept a tab on the professional activities of all nominees in a year. Even after the awardee is chosen finally, we ensure that he/she is not intimated until we get the final feedback from the Editor(s) the journalist has worked with. Delighted that we have a truly deserving candidate this year as well in Jugal Purohit,” says Dr Kota Harinarayana, top aerospace scientist and Mentor of IIF.
IIF began the process of shortlisting the nominees in January this year. Once the final list of candidates was drawn up, a confidential report from their Editors was sought to measure some of their performance parameters.
“Jugal’s reporting over the years has been in-depth in nature. We found him absolutely passionate in his approach, with a great eye for detail while diving into the depths of reporting,” says Sindhu A, National Coordinator, IIF.
Objective, diligent, meticulous
Jugal started his career with Mid-Day in 2005 and later worked in Yuva, Times Now and India Today, before joining BBC India in January 2018. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Media (Journalism) from Mumbai University and an MA in Defence & Strategic Studies from the University of Pune.
Winner of Red Ink Awards, Jugal has made a mark for himself over the years, covering topics ranging from military affairs to atomic energy to insurgency and politics, to mention a few. He volunteered to cover cyclones Vardah (2016), Hudhud (2014), Phailin (2013); floods of Uttarakhand in 2013, Jammu and Kashmir in 2014, Gujarat in 2015 and the Nepal earthquake in 2015.
Despite being detected by cancer last year, Jugal stuck to his guns and inner strength to overcome that difficult phase in his life.
He stands out as a hardworking, diligent journalist, who always provided better information and greater insight in his stories than others covering the same topics.
“Jugal is as a stickler for facts and objectivity. He is the first to put up his hand to take up tough assignments. He tells his story in a manner that people can easily relate to. Unlike many others he never advertised his situation. Never looked for sympathy. He took it on the chin, faced it head-on, kept the faith and came out better,” says an editor with India Today.
His peers say Jugal has always shown great leadership skills whenever needed and has always risen to the occasion.
“Overall, he is a very driven, hardworking journalist who holds the journalistic values of honesty, impartiality and quality dear,” says an Editor with BBC India.
Jugal’s father, late Rajnikant Purohit, was an advocate dealing with income tax cases in Mumbai, while his mother Alka Purohit, retired from Reserve Bank of India. He is married to Sapna Nair Purohit, who is a journalist.
Reacting to the news of winning the award, Jugal said he was ‘humbled by this recognition’.
“There still are many journalists who strive hard to ensure their readers/viewers benefit from reporting which is objective and in-depth. Few, however, get the recognition they deserve. I am confident that this IIF endeavour will go a long way in encouraging many more,” said Jugal.
He said he will continue being a storyteller but will be one who is “more innovative, creative and effective”.
(Jugal Purohit can be reached at: purohit.jugal@gmail.com | Twitter: @jugalrp. More on Inspired Indian Foundation here: www.inspiredindianfoudnation.org or www.billionbeats.in.)
