ITANAGAR, 13 Dec: The Arunachal Press Club (APC) and Arunachal Pradesh Union of Working Journalists (APUWJ) on Wednesday felicitated senior journalist, Ranju Dodum, who was among the five recipients of the inaugural Kalyan Barooah Excellence in Journalism Award.
The award, established in memory of late Kalyan Barooah, a Delhi-based senior journalist, aims to honor his contributions to journalism and his unfortunate demise during the second wave of Covid-19 pandemic in 2021. It also commemorates Barooah’s notable efforts in bringing Northeast India’s issues to the forefront of national media.
Dodum, who writes for The Dawnlit Post, The Hindu, The Quint, Mongabay, Frontline, among others, was presented the award by Union Minister for Ports Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, in a grand ceremony organized My Home India and North East Media Forum (NEMF) in New Delhi on November 11.
Addressing a gathering of journalists at the Press Club here, APC vice-president Bengia Ajum commended Dodum’s dedication, hard work and contributions towards journalism in the state, which he said have “undoubtedly set a high standard for excellence.”
“The Kalyan Barooah Award is a testament to Dodum’s commitment towards journalism and the state’s media fraternity takes great pride in his accomplishments. This will surely motivate the budding journalists of the state to work harder,” Ajum said.
APUWJ president Amar Sangno also expressed delight over Dodum being acknowledged for his outstanding work in journalism.
Sangno said the recognition not only celebrates Dodum’s achievements but also highlights the overall growth and influence of journalism in the state.
“The Kalyan Barooah Award is a prestigious honor and a scribe from Arunachal receiving this accolade underscores the caliber of journalism being produced in our region,” Sangno said.
APC general secretary Damien Lepcha also congratulated Dodum for the achievement.
Dodum, also the vice-president of APUWJ, thanked the state media fraternity for the felicitation and expressed hope that the recognition will act as a boost for the younger journalists of Arunachal to continue striving for excellence in the work they do.
He also expressed his gratitude to My Home India and North East Media Forum (NEMF) for recognizing his efforts and honoring him with the Kalyan Barooah Award.
Besides Dodum, who received the award in the print media category, the other scribes from the Northeast to receive the award were Deepak Dewan (lifetime achievement), Partha Jyoti Borah (best electronic media person), Binod Tamang (video journalism) and Gitika Talukdar (best photography).
The awards included a trophy, a citation and cash prize.