Indian Journalists Honoured at Danish Siddiqui Awards for Courage and Impactful Reporting

April 07, 2026 – India –

Several Indian journalists were recognised this week for their courageous and impactful work at the prestigious Danish Siddiqui Journalism Awards ceremony in New Delhi, highlighting excellence across print, broadcast, digital, and photojournalism.

The awards, named after Pulitzer Prize‑winning photojournalist Danish Siddiqui — who was killed while reporting in Afghanistan in 2021 — aim to celebrate journalism that demonstrates ethical strength, compelling storytelling, and meaningful public impact.

At the April 5 ceremony, prominent journalists from across India and beyond were honoured. The Wire’s Sukanya Shantha received a special jury mention for her investigative reporting, which has drawn attention to systemic issues within India’s legal and security framework. Senior journalist Karan Thapar was recognised with a lifetime achievement award through a parallel set of accolades presented by The Public India media platform, underscoring his long tenure in public affairs journalism and incisive interviewing.

Shantha’s work, including a recent multi‑part series on plea bargaining practices in National Investigation Agency cases, has already been acknowledged with independent journalism prizes for fearless reporting. Thapar’s award reflects his decades of experience in eliciting key perspectives from public officials and analysts on major national and international issues.

The Danish Siddiqui award jury featured veteran figures in Indian journalism and academia, including editors and professors known for championing media freedom. Other awardees at the event included reporters from The Indian Express in the print category, a BBC broadcast journalist, and photojournalists from international outlets whose work has shed light on underreported stories.

Justice Madan B. Lokur, retired Supreme Court judge and chief guest at the ceremony, delivered the keynote address, emphasising the vital role of journalism in upholding democratic values and ensuring accountability, a theme echoed by award presenters and recipients alike.

The awards underscore the continuing legacy of Danish Siddiqui’s commitment to truth‑telling and remind the media community of journalism’s capacity to inform public discourse and challenge power with courage and integrity.

Reference –

https://thewire.in/media/danish-siddiqui-journalism-awards-sukanya-shantha-karan-thapar