0 Comment(s) *
* The moderation of comments is automated and not cleared manually by indianexpress.com.
Twenty years after it was born as a newspaper, first published in Uttar Pradesh’s Bundelkhand region, Khabar Lahariya continues to challenge popular notions about what journalism in India could and should be and for whom it is meant. A film about the grassroots news organisation Khabar Lahariya has become the first from India to be nominated for an Academy Award in the Best Documentary Feature category. This alone is worth celebrating, considering the challenges of this filmmaking format, especially in India — few resources, low return on investment and, outside of a handful of international platforms, very little recognition. But an additional reason for celebrating the nomination of Writing with Fire is its subject: Directed by Rintu Thomas and Sushmit Ghosh, the film offers a window into the life and work of the Dalit women who run Khabar Lahariya, and the obstacles they overcome — from unhappy husbands and unfriendly crowds to lack of funds and inexperience with technology — as they report on issues that matter the most to the communities they serve.
Twenty years after it was born as a newspaper, first published in Uttar Pradesh’s Bundelkhand region, Khabar Lahariya continues to challenge popular notions about what journalism in India could and should be and for whom it is meant. The women who work at the organisation— which made a successful digital-first pivot in 2016 — have to wage a constant battle with the prejudices of caste and gender to pursue and bring to light stories of administrative neglect, crimes against women. In doing so, they frequently put their lives on the line — not just for asking tough questions or being out at all hours, often in hostile environments, but also simply for being Dalit women.
At a time when even a section of journalists working under relatively easier and more privileged circumstances have turned away from the stories that matter, it is heartening to know that the women of Khabar Lahariya carry on undaunted. Since 2002, they’ve worked hard to spotlight issues and stories that rarely get attention. That the world should now watch and honour Khabar Lahariya’s own story is only right.
This editorial first appeared in the print edition on February 10, 2022 under the title ‘Khabar Lahariya’s story’.
- The Indian Express website has been rated GREEN for its credibility and trustworthiness by Newsguard, a global service that rates news sources for their journalistic standards.
© The Indian Express (P) Ltd