Journalists food for thought not confined to Delhi alone

Kolkata, Sep 17 (UNI) There are serious issues at stake for politics beyond the capital, a point journalists based in New Delhi often overlook, the winners of ''The Statesman Awards for Rural Reporting- 2007'' have said.

Shyam Lal Yadav of India Today, Krishna Chouhan of Dainik Bhaskar and Siby Kattampally of Malayalam Manorama expressed this view here last night after receiving the first, second and third prize respectively.

They said in unison, ''There are people in different parts of the country whose courage and strength are remarkable enough to bring about a difference and give journalists food for thought.'' While Yadav has written about underpaid village chowkidars and farmers of Uttar Pradesh, Chouhan has penned on water conservation in Rajasthan and Kattampally on coir industry in Kerala.

''Reporting on corruption and mismanagement prevalent in remote districts demands courage and here lies the essence of journalism but not mere analysis of the policies that come out of the air-conditioned chambers of the ministers in New Delhi alone,'' they maintained.

A panel discussion on ''We have failed the system, but the system must now make way'', followed the awards giving ceremony.

The panalysts included Abhishek Manu Singhvi, CPI MP D Raja, journalist Swapan Dasgupta and former Union Minister and Janata Party leader Dr Subramaniam Swamy.

Mr Ishan Joshi, Deputy Editor, The Statesman moderated the proceedings.

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