Two Indian journalists among EU’s media prize 2017‎

(Vatican Radio)  Two Indians are among 10 journalists from around the world who have been honoured with the European Commission’s 2017 Lorenzo Natali Media Prize for their outstanding reporting on development, poverty eradication and freedom of religion. Saurabh Sharma and Umar Manzoor Shah from the Asia Pacific region, collected their prizes in the professional and amateur categories at a ceremony in Brussels on June 7 during the European Development Days (EDD).

Saurabh Sharma, 26, a professional journalist from Uttar Pradesh state, won the Lorenzo Natali Media Grand Prize in the professional category for his story entitled, “Shanno’s Story Takes A Hard Look At What It’s Like To Live On The Streets Of Varanasi”.  The September 16, 2016 story on Youth Ki Awaaz speaks of the many dangers and difficulties that girls growing up in the streets of India face. Sharma has worked with Newstrack.com, United News of India and 101reporters.com.   

Umar Manzoor Shah, a freelance journalist, won the amateur category prize for his February 1, 2017 story, "Church in Kashmir offers hope to people with disabilities".  His report appeared on ucanews.com, an online news service that covers issues and matters of interest for the Catholic Church on the Asian continent.  Shah was born in 1986 in Jammu and Kashmir state. He also contributes to Inter Press Service and the Doha Centre for Media Freedom.  His stories, mostly on social issues, focus on giving a voice to those from deprived parts of society, such as mental illness among the people living in conflict zones like Kashmir, stories related to poor women and disabled children, and farmers struggling for survival. 

Other winners ‎of 2017 Lorenzo Natali Media Prize in the professional and amateur categories are from the regions of Africa, the Arab world and Middle East, Europe and Latin America and the Caribbean.  Two others have been awarded for their stories on freedom of religion or belief outside the EU.  

An independent jury selected the 10 winners from among 500 applications from all over the world.  Established 25 years ago by the European Commission, the Lorenzo Natali Media Prize is named after Lorenzo Natali of Italy, a former Commissioner for Development and a staunch defender of freedom of expression, democracy, human rights and development.