‘Madhyamam’ Joint Editor P. I. Nowshad wins V. Karunakaran Nambiar Award for Best Editorial
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The Kerala Media Academy has conferred the V. Karunakaran Nambiar Award for Best Editorial on P. I. Nowshad, Joint Editor of Madhyamam daily, for his editorial titled “Colony out, but what about high caste mind-set?” published on 21 June 2024. The editorial was selected for its incisive reflection on a recent government order discouraging the use of terms like ‘colony’, ‘ooru’, and ‘sanketham’ for Scheduled Caste and Tribe settlements, advocating instead for inclusive alternatives such as ‘nagar’, ‘unnathi’, and ‘prakrithi’.
The award, which carries a cash prize of ₹25,000, a certificate of merit, and a memento, will be presented during the Kerala Media Academy Conclave scheduled for August. The jury for the award included Dr. Sebastian Paul, S. D. Prince, and Dr. Neethu Sona.
Nowshad, a native of Chentrappinni in Thrissur, has previously served as the Resident Editor of Gulf Madhyamam and Executive Editor of Madhyamam. He is the son of Ibrahimkutty and Mymoona. His wife, Sameeha, is a teacher at M.I.T. U.P. School, P. Vemballur. The couple has two children—Irada Tabassum and Ayyash Abdullah.
Other journalism honours announced by the Kerala Media Academy include the N. N. Satyavrathan Award for Best Human Interest Story, which was awarded to Janayugom Idukki district correspondent R. Samban for the series “Karikalkku Kalikaalam.” The jury comprised M. P. Achyuthan, Sreekumar Mukhathala, and R. Parvathi Devi.
The Chovvara Parameswaran Award for Best Investigative Report was given to Mathrubhumi editorial board member Neenu Mohan for the series “Kulamirangunna Aadhivaasi Vadhu.” The jury included K. V. Sudhakaran, K. G. Jyothirghosh, and Dr. A. G. Oleena.
The Dr. Moorkkanur Narayanan Award for Best Local Reporting went to Malayala Manorama Ponani correspondent Jibeesh Vailippat for the series “Aricheduth Dhuritha Jeevitham,” selected by a jury comprising Vidhu Vincent, P. V. Murukan, and V. M. Ahmed.
In the photography category, Malayala Manorama’s Jithin Joyal Harim won the Kerala Media Academy Photography Award for an image capturing the rescue of a baby by the Army during a landslide at Chooralmala, Wayanad. The jury included T. K. Rajeev Kumar, B. Jayachandran, and U. S. Rakhi.
The Award for Visual Media Reporting was presented to Mathrubhumi News Associate Editor Biju Pankaj for his documentary on a Malayali forest officer’s conservation efforts to protect sea cows.
A Special Jury Award was conferred on Mathrubhumi News journalist R. K. Soumya for a news feature aired during the Maharashtra elections, which focused on a woman’s protest against being offered a saree instead of essential infrastructure in a marginalised rural area. Jury members included former DGP Hemachandran, Baiju Chandran, and Dr. Meena T. Pillai.