The Press Club Mumbai honoured N. Ram, veteran journalist and former Editor-in-Chief of The Hindu Group, with its RedInk Lifetime Achievement Award for 2013 for being a fearless crusader of journalism.
The lifetime achievement award was also conferred on veteran journalist and revered columnist Kuldip Nayar, even as the body felicitated 20 other journalists for their excellence.
“I am honoured to accept this award. It’s a great honour. I have a lot of regard and affection for the Press Club with whom I have participated in many of the press movements,” N Ram said in his acceptance speech. N. Ram had headed The Hindu Group as Editor-in-Chief for more than two decades. He had also been conferred with the Padma Bhushan and the Sri Lanka Ratna by the Government of Sri Lanka.
“For me it has been a long journey, of 55 years, and this is the recognition of the journey and the stories I have done. All these years in journalism, I worked in the field (reporting),” Nayar said.
The awards to Ram and Nayar, selected by the Managing Committee of the Press Club based on a survey of senior journalists, were presented by Maharashtra Governor K. Sankaranarayanan. Taking part in a panel discussion – ‘Keeping Media Free and Fair’ – Ram said that the phenomenon of paid news and private treaties have resulted in hyper-commercialisation of news.
“Editorials, blatantly in the guise of the news, are rampant,” Ram said, touching upon the subject of “editorialising” of news that has affected the standard of news. Media in the country is facing threats such as criminal defamation and contempt of court among others, he said, expressing doubts on the fairness of media, not only in India, but also in developed countries.
This year, RedInk Awards received over 900 entries. “We try and recognise our fellow journalists for that untold story told by them, for finding that right sources… These are not only for the gravity of the reports, but also for the depth of the reporting,” said Gurbir Singh, President, The Press Club Mumbai. (बिजनेस लाइन)
