Rajasthan Patrika calls for entries for KCKIA

The Patrika Group has announced the second edition of the Karpoor Chandra Kulish International Award (KCKIA) for the print media. The award aims to honour excellence in print journalism.

The award was instituted in the memory of Karpoor Chand Kulish, the founder of Rajasthan Patrika. In its inaugural year, 2007, the award was shared jointly by Dawn (Pakistan) and Hindustan Times (Delhi). Last year, the theme for the awards was human development.

Talking to afaqs!, Bhuvnesh Jain, deputy editor, Rajasthan Patrika, says, “This year, we have decided to call for entries based on the theme, Terrorism and Society. In everyday news, journalists apply a professional narrative that represents a balance between their core journalistic values and the social pressures from their working world. But when society's core values are under threat, such as in the event of physical or political violence or terrorist attacks, journalists switch to a cultural narrative that moves the public mind back toward the dominant cultural order."

Last year, the jury received 187 entries from across the globe. Sixty-one Indian newspapers pitched 145 entries and 10 members of the international media sent in another 42 entries.

The annual international award carries prize money of US$11,000 and a trophy. There is no entry fee for sending entries. However, the entries should be based on news published between January 1 and December 31, 2008. The entries for the award can be sent in till January 31.

According to Jain, the winning entries will be selected on the basis of the significance of the news story, depth of research, and resourcefulness and courage shown in gathering information. Nominees for the awards will be selected by a recognised panel of jury members.