Assam journalists honoured for highlighting human rights, women’s issues

GUWAHATI

Two Assam journalists have been honoured for their reportage on human rights and women’s issues during the year 2019.

Diganta Sarma, a staff reporter of Assamese weekly, Sadin, has been conferred the Pabindra Nath Sarma Memorial Award for reporting on human rights issues.

While Kulapradip Bhagawati, sub-editor of an Assamese newspaper, Dainik Agradoot, has bagged the Kunjabala Devi Memorial award for reporting on women’s issues.

The awards instituted in the memory of Late Pabindra Nath Sarma, senior advocate and freedom fighter, and his wife Late Kunjabala Devi, carries a cash award of Rs 30,000 each and a citation, a statement from the awards committee, informed.

Sarma, in his award-winning entry, highlighted the violation of human rights of a young girl Kalpana, who was deprived of her right to education as she along with her family, was detained for eight years in a detention camp on suspicion of being foreigners.

Bhagawati, in his reports on women issues, highlighted the issue of triple talaq, which allows a husband to divorce his wife by repeating the word ‘talaq’ (divorce) three times in any form, including email or text message.

Besides, he has also reported on the joys of a childless woman caretaker of children and about a brave woman’s crusade against plastic.