Skip to content Skip to navigation

International award to journalist Nava Thakuria

Guwahati: The Geneva-based Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) rewards senior journalist Nava Thakuria, a resident of northeast India, for his relentless initiatives to safeguard the rights of media persons in the south Asian country and also defending press freedom in the region with an exemplary commitment.

The Assam-based working journalist has been awarded on 30 November 2021 remotely as it was difficult for him to reach Geneva because of the Covid-19 restrictions.

“It is the first time that the PEC rewards a journalist from India, the second most populous country in the world. India has a strong democracy and a vibrant press. Last year, however, a record number of 15 journalists were killed in India and six this year. Journalists are targeted for documenting abuses, corruption, criminal activities,” stressed the PEC Secretary-General Blaise Lempen.

In 2021, the media fraternity in India was the most affected by the novel coronavirus along with Brazil. The PEC award also wants to pay tribute to some 300 journalists who died throughout India with Covid-19 complications.

“Receiving the PEC award is a great honour and represents a strong incentive to continue my work. I now feel more responsible for my colleagues in the media fraternity. At the same time, I greatly appreciate this award, which draws attention to the situation of journalists in my country,” said Thakuria.

Journalism, be it print, electronic or digital, remains a hazardous job in India. Media personnel are not duly paid here and often they face threats from both the government and non-state actors including the goons. This year, the Covid-19 has impacted severely upon the media industry in India, he added.

Besides his home country, Thakuria has also taken the pain of documenting the media crisis in Myanmar (also known as Burma or Brahmadesh) and reported the detention of over 120 journalists after the military coup in February. Nearly 40 out of them are still behind bars there.

A graduate from Assam Engineering College (under Gauhati University), but preferred to be a professional journalist, Thakuria contributes to various newspapers of India along with several media outlets based in the different parts of the world.

Starting his career as a reporter in Natun Dainik, an Assamese language daily in 1990, Thakuria shifted to freelance journalism by 1999.  His focus area of reporting remains the socio-political, cultural and environmental developments taking place in eastern India along with Bhutan, Myanmar and Bangladesh. 

The changing face of mainstream journalism after the advent of alternate media worldwide is also a primary focus area for him. He has visited most of the prime localities in India and also Thimphu, Dhaka, Yangon, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Copenhagen, Chicago, etc for different global events and professional assignments.

Created in the Swiss city of Geneva in 2004 by a group of journalists, PEC, the global media safety and rights body with consultative status at the United Nations, is devoted to strengthening the legal protection and safety of journalists around the world. Since 2009, it has been awarding its annual prize to an individual or an organization, who works for the protection of journalists and the press freedom on the ground.
The award had earlier gone to Mexican journalist Carmen Aristegui in 2020. On the previous year, the PEC awarded the Afghanistan Journalists Center director Ahmad Quraishi, whereas in 2018 the award went to the family of Daphne Caruana Galizia (who was murdered in Malta in October 2017).

Author info

AT News's picture

Assam Times Staff. editor@assamtimes.org

Add new comment

Assamese Translator

Assam Times seeks English to Assamese translators!
Join our volunteer team.
Email editor@assamtimes.org.

Random Stories

Quiz competition at Udalguri on June 5

30 May 2013 - 10:18am | Maihursa Boro
Preety Boro Memorial All Assam Green Quiz Contest 2013 on the theme "Environment & Development" is going to be held at Udalguri on June 5, the World Environment Day under the...

Former Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi addressing press conference during Assam State Legislative Assembly session at Dispur in Guwahati on Monday. Photo by UB Photos

Congress stages walk out

4 Sep 2017 - 8:38pm | AT News
The Assam assembly session began on a stormy note on Monday where the Opposition Congress walked out of the floor alleging government failure to properly deal with the issues confronting...

First NE Green Journalism award given

5 Jun 2013 - 6:51pm | Abdul Gani
Promising journalist Ratnadeep Choudhury who is working for Tehelka bagged the first ever Northeast Green Journalism Award, 2013 instituted by assamtimes.org, a community e-paper on Wednesday...

Pegu arrested, Govt orders probe

9 Mar 2010 - 9:36pm | editor
Police on Tuesday arrested Gargaram Pegu a day after the Mising autonomous council principal secretary was detained for possession of Rs 16 lakh in cash. Police interrogation is in progress. In yet...

Other Contents by Author

Guwahati, December 21: A panel discussion on the "Violation of Human Rights Laws Against Hindus and Other Religious Minorities" was held today at the Bishnu Nirmal Trust Auditorium, Latasil, Guwahati. The event was organized under the banner of Adhivakta Parishad Assam Prant. The discussion featured notable speakers, including  Justice Ajit Borthakur, former Judge of the Guwahati High Court and current member of the Assam Human Rights Commission. Justice Borthakur raised concerns about the status of rights guaranteed under the Constitution of Bangladesh and questioned their protection for all citizens. Former IPS and DGP (OSD) M Mohan Raj provided historical context, comparing...
Guwahati, December 2024: The Assam Chamber of Commerce is set to host a 5 KM Fun Run on January 5, 2025, at 6:00 AM, starting from the Gauhati Town Club, Judges Field, Panbazar. The event, spearheaded by Rupam Goswami, Chairman of the Assam Chamber of Commerce, aims to raise awareness about drug abuse and promote a healthy lifestyle. The fun run, themed “Run for a Cause,” invites participants from all walks of life to join hands in the fight against drugs. Registration for the event is priced at ₹250, with participants required to share a screenshot of their payment via WhatsApp to the organizers. The event promises exciting cash prizes for both male and female runners: ₹5,000 for first...
A protest by Congress party workers in Dispur escalated into chaos today as demonstrators attempted to gherao the Janata Bhawan in Guwahati, leading to multiple detentions including top party leadership. Assam Pradesh Congress Committee President Bhupen Borah and senior leader Ripun Bora were among those detained as fully-equipped police forces intervened to control the situation. The demonstration, sparked by the death of Congress worker Mridul Islam in Wednesday's tear gas shelling, saw protesters defying police barricades and staging sit-ins on the road. Some demonstrators attempted to breach police lines in front of the Janata Bhawan, intensifying the confrontation. In a related...
Guwahati, December 18, 2024: The School of Social Work at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Guwahati Off-Campus, held its first-ever Inhmukhawm: Field Work Organisations’ Meet on Wednesday. The event, themed "Buen Vivr: Co-building a Sustainable and Just Future," brought together nearly 100 participants, including grassroots organizations, NGOs, and corporate social responsibility (CSR) representatives. Aligning with the International World Social Work Day 2024, the gathering focused on social work, sustainability, and justice, providing a platform for dialogue, learning, and collaborative innovation to enhance student fieldwork initiatives. The event commenced with a warm...
Guwahati, Assam: The Business Incubation Center for Fisheries and Aquaculture (BICFA) at Guwahati Biotech Park (GBP), under the Department of Science, Technology & Climate Change, Government of Assam, successfully organized a three-day hands-on training program on Feed Analysis and Nutrient Composition of Animal and Fish Feed. The program aimed to educate startups, researchers, and students and was held at GBP and the Feed Testing Laboratory, Department of Animal Nutrition, College of Veterinary Sciences, Assam Agricultural University (AAU), Khanapara. Dr. Bula Choudhury, Senior Scientist at GBP and Convener of the program, welcomed the participants. She highlighted the vision of...
A transformative gathering of educators took place at the Mayflower Hotel in Guwahati, where 76 educators from 38 schools across Assam and Meghalaya came together for WWF-India’s Educators’ Conclave 2024 on November 29. The event focused on empowering educators to instill environmental stewardship and climate literacy in students, while sharing innovative strategies to make schools sustainable and eco-conscious hubs of learning. With the theme “Raising Generation 30,” the conclave explored actionable ideas for transforming education systems to address pressing environmental challenges such as climate change and biodiversity loss. “The role of educators in shaping future environmental...
Chandigarh: Former cricketer and politician Navjot Singh Sidhu has shared an inspiring story of his wife's recovery from cancer, attributing her remarkable progress to a strict diet plan inspired by ancient Indian Ayurveda, Nobel Prize-winning research on autophagy by Yoshinori Ohsumi, and guidance from medical experts. The plan, Sidhu revealed, helped his wife recover in just 40 days after undergoing surgeries, chemotherapy, and targeted therapies. Speaking to the media, Sidhu expressed his gratitude for the holistic approach, which combined positivity, lifestyle changes, and a disciplined nutritional regimen. “Positivity, determination, and the right diet can create miracles,” he said...
The Directorate of Cultural Affairs under the Assam government marked its 53rd anniversary with a historic event celebrating the recognition of Asomiya (Assamese) as a classical language. Held at the iconic Rabindra Bhawan, the evening highlighted the significance of this achievement and charted a roadmap for the language's preservation and growth in written and colloquial forms. The courtyard of Rabindra Bhawan, adorned with vibrant decorations and a podium beneath lush Bokul trees, hosted an enthusiastic audience of dignitaries and scholars. As the sun dipped below the Brahmaputra’s horizon, the program commenced with three distinguished panelists sharing their insights. The...
Tensions escalated in Manipur’s violence-hit Jiribam district on Sunday night as clashes between security forces and protesters turned deadly, officials reported. A young protester, identified as 21-year-old K. Athouba, was fatally shot amid the chaos. A police official confirmed that an investigation is underway to determine who fired the fatal shot, while protesters allege that a Manipur Police special commando unit was responsible. Two others were reported injured in the incident. The violence erupted as mobs attacked and vandalized properties belonging to political leaders and various party offices. According to police reports, the unrest began at Babupara before spreading to other...
The body of a tiger was discovered in the Horonbali Chapori area of Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve, located in Assam’s Biswanath district, on Monday. Forest guards came across the carcass during a routine patrol and alerted senior officials, who subsequently arrived at the scene to recover the remains. Preliminary findings suggest that the tiger may have died as a result of a fight with another tiger. To confirm the exact cause of death, samples will be sent to a forensic laboratory for further analysis. The disposal of the carcass was carried out under the supervision of senior forest officials and veterinary doctors. Kaziranga National Park, recognized as a Tiger Reserve...