New Delhi: The Danish Siddiqui Foundation on Sunday presented the Danish Siddiqui Journalism Awards 2026, honoring journalists for excellence in public-interest reporting across print, digital, broadcast, and photojournalism formats.
Delivering the keynote address, former Supreme Court judge Justice Madan B. Lokur underlined the importance of freedom of expression, stating that the ability to question and dissent is central to a functioning democracy.
In a special address, former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan stressed the need for credible, evidence-based journalism, noting that reliable reporting is essential for informed public discourse on complex economic and social issues.
Award winners included Aiswarya Raj and Dheeraj Mishra of The Indian Express in print reporting, Abhinav Goel of BBC News in broadcast journalism, Zeeshan Latif of The Washington Post in photojournalism, Aparna Ganesan of The Migration Story in digital – broadcast, and Apoorva Mandhani of The Print in digital – print. Jury Special Mentions were given to Avadhesh Akodia of Dainik Bhaskar and Sukanya Shantha of The Wire.
The awards were selected by an independent jury chaired by Om Thanvi, with members Siddharth Varadarajan, Suhasini Haidar, Josy Joseph, Sabeena Gadihoke, and Saurabh Dwivedi, following a rigorous evaluation process.
Instituted in memory of Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist Danish Siddiqui, the awards received entries from across India.
The ceremony also included a remembrance segment on Siddiqui’s work, showcasing his contributions to conflict and humanitarian reporting. The event was attended by journalists, editors, and media professionals.