The Jayaraman family and the Network of Women in Media, India (NWMI) are collaborating in instituting the Anupama Jayaraman Memorial Award for young women journalists.

The award has been set up in the memory of Anupama Jayaraman, a young and promising Bangalore-based journalist who passed away in January 2006. Anupama was not only multi-talented and energetic, but she also demonstrated a keen interest in issues of human rights and social justice.

The award is one of several efforts undertaken by her family to keep her concerns and ideas alive. It is meant to encourage and honour young women journalists who, like her, believe in meaningful journalism and have the courage and determination to write on issues relating to human rights and social justice. The award will include a citation and a cheque for Rs.15,000.

The 2007 award will be for a female print journalist living in India and writing in English. It is hoped that awards in other languages can be introduced subsequently.

NWMI is cooperating with the Jayaraman family in launching and sustaining the award, which will be presented at NWMI's annual meetings held in different parts of the country every year. The local network responsible for each year's meeting will undertake responsibility for the award that year.

NWMI, Bangalore, which is hosting the national network's 5th annual three-day meeting in the city in February 2007, is coordinating the launch of the award. A jury of eminent citizens, including senior journalists, will judge the entries and select the first recipient of the Anupama Jayaraman Memorial Award, which will be presented at a public meeting in Bangalore on 9 February 2007.

Details

Objectives

• To encourage, support and honour young women journalists writing on human rights, social justice and people-centred development.
• To nurture and sustain idealism, enthusiasm and constructive professionalism among young journalists.
• To promote and strengthen journalism that cares.
  

Themes
The broad themes to be addressed in the entries are human rights and social justice, especially in the areas of basic needs (including access to natural resources), gender equality, and the environment. Specific topic areas within these themes will be announced each year. For the 2007 award the topic area is: human rights and women/girls.

Eligibility criteria

• The 2007 Award is for Indian women journalists aged 25 or less, working in or contributing to the print media in India in English.
• All female journalists in this age group, including freelance journalists, are eligible.
• The award is for a body of published work (a minimum of three articles) over a two-year period (the 2007 Award will be for articles published between January 2005 and December 2006).
• Among journalists who make it to the short list, those from rural backgrounds and from Dalit and Adivasi communities will be given special consideration.

Guidelines for nominations

• Nominations, sent to the address below, must include:
  • A short write-up on the nominee and her contact details (including postal address, phone number and e-mail address).
  • Three bylined articles relating to this year's specified topic (each of the three submission must include an original clipping and a xerox copy).

• Apart from editors and other media professionals, members of the reading public are also welcome to send in nominations.
• All nominations must be received by 7 January 2007 for the 2007 award. Please write "Anupama Jayaraman Memorial Award 2007" on the envelope.
• A jury of five eminent citizens, mainly journalists, will select the awardee; their decision will be final.
• All nominations must be typed; all submitted articles must be printed/published.

Other details

• The awardee and the person who nominated her will be personally informed about the jury's decision between 15 and 20 January 2007.
• Information about the outcome of the award process will also be disseminated through various media, NWMI e-groups and the NWMI website.

Contact address
The Network of Women in Media, Bangalore
(Attention: Anita Cheria)
# 7, 3rd Cross Road
Priyadarshini Layout
Nagarbhavi Main Road
Bangalore 560 072
E-mail: nwm.bangalore@ gmail.com (Attention: Anita Cheria)
Mobile: (0) 94484 84797 (Anita Cheria) / (0) 94483 40817 (M. Radhika)

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