Indian Catholic Press Association (ICPA) will honour noted journalist, writer and editor Jose Kavi conferring its prestigious annual Louis Careno Award for Excellence in Journalism. While Sr Robancy A. Helen has bagged the award for the Best Reportage on Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes , ICPA has also chosen Joseph Anthony Gathia, an author, journalist, and children’s rights campaigner for the Swami Devanand Chakkungal award for Hindi Literature.
The award will be conferred to them on Saturday, 23 September, 2023 during the 28th National Convention of Christian Journalists, organized by the ICPA, scheduled to be held at Ashir Bhawan, Kochi, Kerala.
The jury that decided the award commended Mr Jose Kavi for being an example of “crusading independent journalism in the cause of truth”. The Award will be conferred on Mr Kavi during the 28th National Convention of Christian Journalists, organized by the ICPA, scheduled to be held in Kochi on Saturday, 23 September, 2023.
Scores of cub Journalists have benefited from his teaching and mentoring, making him one of the most loved veteran Journos in the national Capital. Mr. Kavi has played a crucial role in professionalising the Church-based news agencies.
In the last four decades he has made a mark in both secular journalism and in reporting on the Christian world. Mr. Kavi entered the media world as an in-service trainee journalist of SAR-News (South Asian Religious News), run by the ICPA.
The three phases of his professional life have been in the UNI, a major news agency of its time; the UCAN, a pioneering Catholic News Service; and now Matters India, a news portal of great credibility which was launched 11 years ago. Matters India is seen as a window to the Christian world by secular observers.
As India Editor of UCAN (Union of Catholic Asian News), for about 25 years, he single-handedly built up a network of professional journalists covering the whole of India and even Nepal. UCAN-India had links to Bangladesh, Pakistan and Hong Kong. UCAN’s Hong Kong reporters used to sneak into mainland China scouting for stories especially on the “Underground Church” there. UCAN-India used to contextualise these stories in the Indian angle.
Periodic ongoing training was part of the UCAN culture. No wonder, many UCAN Journalists became internationally reputed investigative journalists and many migrated to secular media, with the Gospel values alive in their hearts.
Matters India was a heroic attempt on his part to redefine Church media, regardless of personal pains and sufferings. At a time when Church media used to be dubbed as singing hosanna to priests and the hierarchy, Mr. Kavi dared to correct it, without ever coming to the limelight.
The news portal makes special efforts to bring to the world the atrocities committed against the Church, its institutions, Dalits, Tribals and the marginalised. But for its coverage, many such incidents and instances would have gone unknown to the people.
Mr. Kavi is married to Rosamma, the Chief Nursing Officer of BLK-Max Hospital, Delhi. They have two children. Ashish, the eldest, is an Engineer. Award-winning Malayalam movie actress Archana Kavi is the daughter. He is an unassuming modest person who shuns the limelight, a rare quality among professional Journalists.
ICPA’s SC/ST Reporting Award Goes to Sr Robancy A. Helen
The Indian Catholic Press Association (ICPA) is pleased to announce the ICPA Award for the Best Reportage on Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes for Sr Robancy A. Helen for authentically and consistently being the voice of people’s rights, especially the poor Dalits who are susceptible to exploitation and injustice.
Sr Robancy A. Helen, a Catholic religious nun, belonging to the Messengers of May of Magnificat (MMM), has been regularly contributing to various magazines and news portals on Dalit issues. She has penned more than 150 articles on various issues in five years.
Through the power of reporting, and analytical writings, Sr Robancy amplifies various aspects of Dalits who have been sidelined by the elite, powerful, and societal structures. She critically analyzes the deeper aspects of Dalits’ and Tribals’ exploitation and subjugation; she has extensively written about the injustice they face on many fronts. She has also written many success stories of the Dalit Christians, which had a great impact in her life itself. Her sincerity and perseverance in highlighting the rights of Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes show grit, courage and conviction. Her writings showcase hopes and resilience that the deprived people and communities show despite many challenges, deprivations and exploitation.
The SC/ST Special Award was instituted by the ICPA and sponsored by the CBCI office for Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes to promote the welfare of the marginalized people. The award will be conferred on Saturday, 23 September, 2023 during the 28th National Convention of Christian Journalists, organized by the ICPA, scheduled to be held at Ashir Bhawan, Kochi, Kerala.
Joseph Gathia bags ICPA Award for Hindi Literature
Joseph Anthony Gathia, an author, journalist, and children’s rights campaigner, has been chosen for the Swami Devanand Chakkungal award for Hindi Literature instituted by the Indian Catholic Press Association (ICPA) and sponsored by the SVD Congregation, Indore.
His articles have been published in major Hindi newspapers: Jansatta (Indian Express group) Nav Bharat Times (The Times of India Group), Dainik Bhaskar, Dainik Hindustan (The Hindustan Times Group), Rajasthan Patrika, Rashtriya Sahara, Sahara Samay, Aaj Samaj, Kuber Times, and many other newspapers.
Joseph Gathia was a Bureau Chief of India’s first Hindi weekly newspaper Chouthi Duniya, a secular publication. Also Gathia has the rare honour of being invited to write for the famous Hindi Magazine Hans edited by renowned Hindi novelist (late) Rupendra Yadav and founded by Prem Chand, the legendary Hindi literary figure.
Gathia began his journalistic journey by joining Francis d’ Sales School of Journalism in New Delhi run by Rev. Fr. John Barrett SJ. After successfully completing the course, Fr. Barrett asked him to work for a Catholic weekly Sanjeevan. He began his career as reporter in 1971 and worked his way up and became editor of the weekly.
Gathia through his writings and campaign in association with the civil liberty groups headed by Justice Tarkunde, Justice Rajender Sachhar, and noted journalist Kuldeep Nayyar influenced the policies of the then government on issues of child labour and compulsory primary education for all children.
Gathia has been a member of many fact-finding committees of human rights groups and was member of the fact-finding committee on Kashmir along with Justice R. Sakha, human rights activist Kannabiran, and Kuldeep Nayyar. In 2002, he was one of the five-member fact-finding team on Gujarat riots. In 1999 he was a member of a group that investigated violence against Christians in the Dangs in Gujarat and Jhabua in Madhya Pradesh.
He has written many books and articles in English and Hindi. The latest book by Gathia is Aadhunik Bharat Nirman main Esaeiyat ka Yogdan (2023).
The award will be conferred on Saturday, 23 September, 2023 during the 28th National Convention of Christian Journalists, organized by the ICPA, scheduled to be held at Ashir Bhawan, Kochi, Kerala.