CNN, one of the world's leading news channels, gave awards to Indian journalists who with their outstanding stories and reporting capability have created an impact on society.
The award - CNN Young Journalist (CNN YJA) - which was instituted in 2003 this year saw the entry of two new categories - CNN Aspiring Journalist Award and CNN Citizen Journalist Award.
"India is full of talent and in events like these we try to address and honour as many aspiring journalists possible," Satinder Bindra, senior international correspondent, CNN International told an august audience at a glittering event Friday evening at the Maurya Sheraton Hotel.
This year the award for the print/online category went to Rohit Vishwanath of Businessworld magazine from Mumbai for his story 'Shop Floor Jobs Are Hot Once Again' which dealt on how engineering graduates are now looking for shop floor jobs in pursuit of a hard-core engineering vocation.
The second award in the same category was conferred upon Sonia Faleiro of Tehelka newspaper for her story on farmers' suicides in Vidarbha.
In the television category the winner is Tejeswi Pratima Dodda of NDTV 24x7 and the second in the category is Poonam Agarwal, also of NDTV.
Both the winners Vishwanath and Dodda have won a week's trip to CNN International's headquarter in Atlanta, Georgia, US. While the runners-up Faleiro and Agarwal will get an opportunity to visit and assist the CNN International news bureau in New Delhi for seven days.
{{/usCountry}}Both the winners Vishwanath and Dodda have won a week's trip to CNN International's headquarter in Atlanta, Georgia, US. While the runners-up Faleiro and Agarwal will get an opportunity to visit and assist the CNN International news bureau in New Delhi for seven days.
{{/usCountry}}The winner of the CNN Aspiring Journalist Award in television category was given to Raksha Kumar from Lady Shri Ram College who has won an internship with the CNN-IBN bureau in New Delhi for a month.
In the print category the award was given to Smita Agarwal from Symbiosis Institute of Mass Communication, Pune who has also won an internship with Hindustan Times, Mumbai for a month.
The CNN Citizen Journalist Award was bestowed upon Ajit Jayakar of Mumbai for his visuals of the 7/11 Mumbai blasts. He was won a trophy with cash prize of Rs.20,000.
The eligibility criteria for participating in the CNN YJA is to have a minimum work experience in journalism for a year and the age of the incumbent should be between 22-28 years.