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Announcements

  • SAJA Awards Deadline Extension; Scholarship Winners; SAJA Internship Fund‏

    2013-04-22 11:48 PM | Anonymous
    Deadline Extension! Annual SAJA Awards Deadline Moved to May 7th!

    Good News Journalists! The deadline for this years' SAJA Awards has been pushed back to Tuesday, May 7th, 2013.

    We invite individual journalists, and news organizations in North America to submit entries for this year's SAJA Journalism Awards.

    Applicants do not have to be South Asian to enter.

    This award recognizes excellence in coverage of South Asia, as well as outstanding reporting by South Asian journalists and students in the U.S. and Canada.

    For journalists (including freelancers) working for media outlets based in North America:
    Category 1: The Daniel Pearl Award for outstanding reporting about South Asia: All media
    Category 2: Outstanding enterprise reporting about South Asia or the worldwide South Asian diaspora: All media
    Category 3: Outstanding reporting on the shooting at Oak Creek Sikh Temple in Wisconsin: All media
    Category 4: Outstanding business story about South Asia, or the worldwide South Asians diaspora: All media
    Category 5: Outstanding arts and culture reporting about South Asia, or the worldwide South Asians diaspora: All media
    Category 6: Outstanding feature story about South Asia, or the worldwide South Asians diaspora: All media
    Category 7: Outstanding editorial/commentary on South Asia, or the worldwide South Asians diaspora: All media
    Category 8: Outstanding visual storytelling about South Asia, or the worldwide South Asians diaspora (includes audio slide shows, photo essays and video stories)
    For journalists of South Asian origin working in North America for any media outlet:
    Category 9: Outstanding story on any subject: All media
    Category 10: Outstanding editorial/op-ed/commentary on any subject: All media
    Students of South Asian origin in North America:(1st, 2nd, 3rd place-cash award)
    Category 11: Outstanding story on any subject by a South Asian student in the US or Canada: All media
    Submissions can include print articles, editorials, photographs and new media pieces published, and broadcasts aired, in 2012.

    ENTRY FEE (entries without payment will NOT be processed): $50

    We have eliminated the entry fee for students, but will accept only one submission per student.

    You can submit by clicking on the categories above or going to saja.submittable.com

    Any questions or if you are interested in volunteering to judge this years' awards please email SAJA Board Member Anup Kaphle at awards@saja.org

    (Please address your email with "SAJA Awards 2013" or "SAJA Judge" in the subject line)



    SAJA Announces It's Scholarship Winners!

    The South Asian Journalists Association is thrilled to announce the winners of its 2013 student scholarships. SAJA is awarding a record $53,000 to help high school, undergraduate and graduate students fund their journalism education.

    Each has shown dedication to journalism and the coverage of South Asia.
    GRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP - $5,000

    Divya Jeswani - City University of New York

    Mehboob Jeelani - Columbia University

    Sarah Khuwaja - City University of New York

    Muzhgan Mia Rasul - Columbia University
    Mihir Zaveri - University of California-Berkeley

    Angela Zonunpari - Syracuse University


    UNDERGRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP - $3,000

    Fareeha Amir - University of Missouri

    Samantha Noreyana Fernando - Ithaca College

    Sabrina Ghaus - Tufts University

    Sanaa Jatoi - Mount Holyoke College

    Sarah Mahmood - Wellesley College

    Priyanka Tilve - Northwestern University



    HIGH SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIP - $2,500

    Astha Agarwal - Newton South High School, Newton, Mass.

    Shanze Tahir - Zionsville Community High School, Zionsville, Ill.



    The scholarships were judged by: Ambreen Ali, CQ Roll Call; Jigar Mehta, Matter, Board member; Meena Thiruvengadam, freelance journalist; Pallavi Reddi, CNN; Aarti Virani, freelance journalist; Raahkee Mirchandani, New York Daily News; Sudeep Reddy, Wall Street Journal; Kiran Khalid, EP Shell Oil; Shefali Kulkarni, freelance, board member.


    The SAJA Scholarships are made possible through generous contributions from the Krishna Kumar Gaur Scholarship Fund, the Arun I & Asmita Bhatia Foundation, and numerous individual and institutional donations. To donate to SAJA and help future scholarship classes, visit http://www.saja.org/donate.

    SAJA's Internship Fund Now Open For Applications!

    Calling all students! Got an unpaid or partially paid internship lined up this summer? A little financial help from SAJA's Internship Fund, to meet basic expenses, will help you gain valuable experience and clips.

    This year, SAJA will grant up to $4,500 distributed among three students who have already secured internships, but may find it difficult to accept because they are partially paid or unpaid. This is a need-based grant. Up to three students will receive between $500 and $1,500 each for the summer.

    Students from all mediums (newspaper, magazine, radio, TV and new media) will be considered.

    To apply, first register here: http://saja.org/events?eventId=667605&EventViewMode=EventDetails

    To complete your application, email secretary@saja.org with the following supporting materials:

    1. A copy of your offer letter.

    2. A copy of your resume.

    3. Attachments or links to 3-5 clips.

    4. Answers to the following questions (300 words or less each):

    a. What has driven your interest in SAJA, South Asia or the diaspora?
    b. How have you been involved with SAJA thus far?
    c. Detail the expenses you will incur to pursue this internship.
    d. Detail your financial need for this grant.
    e. Detail any other sources of funding you are receiving for this internship.

    Applications are due at 11:59 P.M. Saturday, June 1st, 2013.

    Incomplete or late applications will not be considered.

    Visit saja.org/internshipfund for complete details on the program.

    Please contact SAJA Secretary Shefali Kulkarni at secretary@saja.org with questions or to send supporting application materials.

  • HQ Note: SAJA Career Expo Early Bird Special; SAJA Awards Deadline; SAJA Internship Fund; SAJA Comes To Your City‏

    2013-04-10 8:37 PM | Anonymous
    SAJA Career Expo at the AAJA National Convention: Early Bird Special Deadline Is April 12th

    Hurry members! The deadline to get our Early Bird discount for the AAJA National Convention Career Expo is April 12th!

    SAJA members will have a special one day rate ($150) on Friday August 23, 2013 with complete access to the job fair as well as workshops, panel discussions, and AAJA's silent auction later that night.

    Those interested in attending the full AAJA National Convention from Wednesday Aug 21st - Saturday Aug 24th can get a SAJA discount rate as well.

    You will need to register through the AAJA Convention site. 

    To register, please follow the guidelines on this link:

    Career Fair & Expo/Convention Registration

    The discount code for SAJA members is SAJA2013, to be entered at the check-out page.

    Registration Dates & Prices Below:

    Day rate for Friday, August 23rd before April 12th - $150
    Day rate for Friday, August 23rd after April 12th - $175
    Full-Early Bird Convention rate before April 12th - $225
    Full-Pre-Convention rate after April 12th - $300
    Full Onsite rate after June 14th - $375

    Any questions, please direct them to AAJA office at 415.346.2051, ext. 105, or email at support@aaja.org.
     
    Send In Your Submissions: Deadline For SAJA Awards Is April 21st

    We need your submissions! The deadline for this years' SAJA Awards is Sunday, April 21st.

    We invite individual journalists and news organizations in North America to submit entries for this year's SAJA Journalism Awards.

    This award recognizes excellence in coverage of South Asia, as well as outstanding reporting by South Asian journalists and students in the U.S. and Canada.
    SAJA Board Member presents a SAJA Award to Habiba Nosheen and Hilke Schellmann

    The 2013     Awards, which are open to journalists, media companies and freelancers headquartered in the U.S. and Canada, consist of the following categories:

    For journalists (including freelancers) working for media outlets based in North America:

    Submissions can include print articles, editorials, photographs and new media pieces published, and broadcasts aired, in 2012.

    ENTRY FEE (entries without payment will NOT be processed): $50

    We have eliminated the entry fee for students, but will accept only one submission per student.

    You can submit by clicking on the categories above or going to      saja.submittable.com

    Any questions or if you are interested in volunteering to judge this years' awards please email SAJA Board Member Anup Kaphle at awards@saja.org

    (Please address your email with "SAJA Awards 2013" or "SAJA Judge" in the subject line)

     
    NEW: SAJA Internship Fund Is Now Taking Applications

    Calling all students! Got an unpaid or partially paid internship lined up this summer? A     little financial help from SAJA's Internship Fund, to meet basic expenses, will help you gain valuable experience and clips.

    This year,      SAJA will grant up to $4,500 distributed among three students who have already secured internships, but may find it difficult to accept because they are partially paid or unpaid. This is a need-based grant. Up to three students will receive a minimum of $1,500 each for the summer.

    Students from all mediums (newspaper, magazine, radio, TV and new media) will be considered.

    To apply, first register here: http://saja.org/events?eventId=667605&EventViewMode=EventDetails

    To complete your application, email secretary@saja.org with the following supporting materials:

    1. A copy of your offer letter.

    2. A copy of your resume.

    3. Attachments or links to 3-5 clips.

    4. Answers to the following questions (300 words or less each):

    a. What has driven your interest in SAJA, South Asia or the diaspora?
    b. How have you been involved with SAJA thus far?
    c. Detail the expenses you will incur to pursue this internship.
    d. Detail your financial need for this grant.
    e. Detail any other sources of funding you are receiving for this internship.

    Applications are due at 11:59 P.M. Saturday, June 1st, 2013.
    Incomplete or late applications will not be considered.

    Visit      saja.org/internshipfund for complete details on the program.
      
    Please contact SAJA Secretary Shefali Kulkarni at secretary@saja.org with questions or to send supporting application materials.
     
    SAJA Comes To Your City!

    SAJA is looking to come to a city near you! In the past we've hosted events in New York City, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Seattle, Las Vegas, Boston, Bay Area and Toronto. And we would love to host a happy hour, mixer, panel, informational session, or any other event that will help benefit our North American members. We love hearing from our members and want to collaborate with all of you.

    If you are interested in hosting an event in your city please feel free to contact SAJA President Sovy Azhath at president@saja.org or SAJA Secretary Shefali Kulkarni at secretary@saja.org.

  • HQ Note: Broadcast Challenge Goal Met! A Thank You Note From SAJA's President & VP‏

    2013-03-25 1:37 PM | Anonymous

    Dear SAJA friends,

    Thank you to all who donated for our Broadcast Challenge fundraiser. We are pleased to officially announce that we surpassed our goal of reaching the $10,000 mark and this wouldn't be possible without the support and help from you!

    Because we reached our goal of raising $10K, this will be matched dollar-to-dollar by some of the top South Asian     broadcast journalists from around the country. All the funds we receive go directly back to SAJA, as it will help us fund more for scholarships, internships, reporting fellowship grants, workshops for mid-career reporters and a variety of other events for our members across the U.S. and Canada.

    In 2010, SAJA gave away a total of $17,000 in scholarships; in 2011, we hit $36,000; in 2012, we hit $50,000. We kept the momentum going this year by now giving away a total of $60,000 in scholarship     and internship funds. These funds will help young South Asian journalists and students advance their media careers.

    Last year, we completed an Editors' Challenge and now we've accomplished our goal in the Broadcast Challenge. This shows how much SAJA has grown and expanded to other forms of media in the United States and Canada.

    Personally, the Broadcast Challenge was a special fundraiser to organize because as South Asians in the broadcast field, both Vice President Sharaf Mowjood of NBC News and I, Sovy Azhath, of CNN/HLN felt that this helped represent the South Asian community’s role in television and radio media.

    Thank you for all the help and support you have given us throughout the years. And we are always looking to hear your feedback and ideas. Please feel free to email us at:

    Sovy Azhath: president@saja.org

    Sharaf Mowjood:     vp@saja.org
     

    We are excited to plan even more notable career-focused events in the near future. Stay tuned!

    Sincerely,

    Sovy Azhath

    President, South Asian Journalists Association

    CNN Headline News Producer/Writer


    Sharaf Mowjood

    Vice President, South Asian Journalists Association

    Associate Producer for NBC's Rock Center w/ Brian Williams

  • Broadcast Challenge Ends TONIGHT- March 15th‏

    2013-03-15 3:49 PM | Anonymous
    Final Day: Broadcast Challenge Ends TONIGHT- March 15th.

    Today's the last day of the SAJA Broadcast Challenge and we need all the help we can get to raise funds for scholarships, reporting grants, workshops for mid-career reporters and a variety of other events for our members. Top South Asian broadcast journalists from around the country have offered to match donation SAJA receives from its members. Their special pool of money will match, dollar-for-dollar, all donations made, up to a total of $10,000.

    Please chip in! No amount is too small! You can donate here via credit care or Paypal: http://saja.org/donatenow?wofg=true

    Any checks made out to us should be to SAJA Group Inc. and should be mailed to:

    John Laxmi, Treasurer

    17 Cotswood Road

    Greenwich, CT 06830


    All donations must be sent to SAJA Group, Inc. (not to SAJA). Donations to SAJA are NOT tax deductible.

    SAJA Group, Inc. is a tax-exempt charitable organization which supports SAJA's programs and activities. Donations to SAJA Group, Inc. are tax deductible under current laws. SAJA Group, Inc.'s Federal tax ID number is: 55-0844632 and New York State ID is 20-70-28.

  • EVENTS: SAJA Comes to Seattle; SAJA/AAJA Career Fair; SAJA Awards Submissions Now Open!‏

    2013-03-15 3:47 PM | Anonymous

    Dear SAJA Members,

    We are branching out into the Pacific Northwest with a great social media event! But if you are interested in hosting a SAJA event wherever you are--we are always eager to connect with journalists from around the country--please feel free to email our President, Sovy Azhath, at president@saja.org or our Secretary, Shefali Kulkarni, at secretary@saja.org for any help or questions.


    SAJA Comes To Seattle: Social Media One Night Stand
    Hello Seattle!
    SAJA along with The University of Washington Communication Leadership Program will co-host a Social Media One-Night Stand with Sree Sreenivasan, Columbia University's Chief Digital Officer and CNET News Blogger. This event is also in partnership with the Seattle Times and the Seattle chapters of SPJ and AAJA. Come and meet SAJA national President Sovy Azhath of CNN who will be visiting Seattle from NYC.

    Sree will talk about:

    • How to deepen your connection with your audience via social media
    • New tools you must absolutely know and use
    • How to build your personal brand
    • How to find, on deadline, specific types of people you need for work
    • The best ways to increase your followers, fans, and connections
    • How to get the "right" followers, fans, and connections
    • Metrics: why you need to understand them and how you can do just that
    • Sustainable social media undefined how to keep from drowning in information and make time to participate efficiently

    When: Monday, March 18, 2013

    Time: 6:00 P.M. (Light refreshments will be served!)

    Where: University of Washington, Husky Union Building (HUB), Lyceum

    Campus Map: http://www.washington.edu/maps/?hub

    Get your tickets here before they sell out: Tickets are $10 - http://sociamedialonenightstandseattle.bpt.me/


    SAJA & AAJA Career Expo
    This summer SAJA is teaming up with AAJA during their national convention in New York City to provide our members an exclusive day pass to the AAJA convention on Friday, August 23rd. This pass will not only include the Career Expo, but will also include access to SAJA panels and mixers at the convention. It's a great opportunity to connect with AAJA members and a wide variety of media companies and employers.
    If you are interested in attending the full AAJA convention from August 21 - August 24, you can get a SAJA discount rate as well!

    Register before April 12, 2013 to get the Early Bird Special Discount!

    To purchase tickets (the day pass or the full convention tickets) please visit and follow this instructions on this page: http://www.aaja.org/?attachment_id=4464

    PLEASE USE THE DISCOUNT CODE 'SAJA2013' AT THE CHECKOUT PAGE.

    For more information and prices please visit: http://saja.org/events?eventId=642445&EventViewMode=EventDetails


    SAJA Awards Are Now Open For Submissions
    We are now taking submissions for our annual SAJA Awards! We have 11 different categories to choose from that include journalists and students of South Asian decent as well as reporters who cover the South Asian diaspora.

    Submissions can include: print articles, editorials, photographs and new media pieces published, and broadcast aired in 2012.

    And good news students: this year we've eliminated the entry fee for all of you, but you are limited to submitting one entry.

    We've extended our deadline for award submissions to SUNDAY APRIL 21, 2013.

    For more information please visit: http://saja.org/awards

    If you have any questions about this year's awards please send an email with 'SAJA Awards 2013' in the subject line to board member Anup Kaphle: awards@saja.org

    We are also looking for volunteers to help us judge this year's award submissions. If you have the time and are interested in helping us out please send Anup an email with 'SAJA Judge' in the subject line at: awards@saja.org

  • Scholarship Deadline; B'cast Challenge; Career Fair; Toronto & DC March Events‏

    2013-03-05 11:39 PM | Anonymous
    SAJA Scholarships Due March 10!

    Don't forget! This year the National Board approved $60,000 in scholarship money to help journalists starting out their careers. High School, Undergraduates and Graduate students are encouraged to apply, but the deadline is March 10th, so hurry!

    To learn more about our scholarship opportunities and to apply visit: http://saja.org/scholarships

    Final Stretch: Broadcast Challenge End March 15

    We're on the final leg of the SAJA Broadcast Challenge and we need all the help we can get to raise funds for scholarships, reporting grants, workshops for mid-career reporters and a variety of other events for our members. Top South Asian broadcast journalists from around the country have offered to match donation SAJA receives from its members. Their special pool of money will match, dollar-for-dollar, all donations made, up to a total of $10,000.

    March 15th is the last day of the SAJA Broadcast Challenge! Please chip in! No amount is too small! You can donate here via credit care or Paypal: http://saja.org/donatenow?wofg=true
    Any checks made out to us should be to SAJA Group Inc. and should be mailed to:

    John Laxmi, Treasurer

    17 Cotswood Road

    Greenwich, CT 06830
    All donations must be sent to SAJA Group, Inc. (not to SAJA). Donations to SAJA are NOT tax deductible.

    SAJA Group, Inc. is a tax-exempt charitable organization which supports SAJA's programs and activities. Donations to SAJA Group, Inc. are tax deductible under current laws. SAJA Group, Inc.'s Federal tax ID number is: 55-0844632 and New York State ID is 20-70-28.


    SAJA/AAJA Career Fair & Expo In August

    Good news! This year SAJA will be having its Career fair in conjunction to the AAJA National Convention this summer. SAJA members will have a special one day rate ($150) on Friday August 23, 2013 with complete access to the job fair as well as workshops, panel discussions, and AAJA's silent auction that evening.

    When: Friday, August 23, 2013
    Where: Hilton New York in Midtown Manhattan, 1335 Avenue of the Americas, New York, N.Y. 10019

    To register and for more information visit: http://www.saja.org/events?eventId=642445&EventViewMode=EventDetails

    Register before April 12 for Early Bird Discounts!

    SAJA Toronto: Discussion Panel on "South Asian Stories In The Newsroom"

    Attention SAJA Toronto Members! SAJA is proud to co-sponsor a panel discussion on Thursday March 21 at the University of Toronto.

    South Asian Stories In The Newsroom
    It’s 2013. Visible minorities are 50% of the GTA population. What impact has this had in the coverage of stories that fall outside what is considered "the mainstream?" Are the shootings at the Sikh gurdwara in the U.S., Tamil protests in Toronto or the Shafia murders treated like any other story or treated as stories about a specific community? Who does the reporting and does ethnic background make a difference in reporting style?

    When: Thursday, March 21, 2013
    Where: 208N, North House, Centre for South Asian Studies, University of Toronto

    Register Here: http://www.munk.utoronto.ca/EventDetails.aspx?EventId=13648

    Panelists:
    Moderator: Rita Trichur: a telecom reporter in The Globe and Mail's Report on Business and writes about a variety of topics ranging from manufacturing to maple syrup.
    Stewart Bell: an award-winning Canadian journalist and the author of three non-fiction books, Bayou of Pigs, The Martyr’s Oath and Cold Terror, a national bestseller. In 2009, Stewart won a South Asian Journalists Association Award for his writing about the civil war in Sri Lanka.
    Nicholas Davis: the Manager of Program Development for CBC Radio. He is an accomplished journalist and writer who has worked in radio, television and print and has done so for the past 26 years covering everything from current affairs to the arts.
    Noor Javed: an award winning reporter with the Toronto Star, and is currently a feature writer at the paper. She fulfilled a life-long dream when she joined the Star in 2007, and since then has been working to tell the stories reflective of the city’s diverse communities.


    SAJA DC: UNITY Panel with LOOP21 At The National Association of Broadcasters

    Loop21, along with UNITY will host a panel discussion on "Race in the Media" at the National Association of Broadcasters on Friday March 8. The event is free and open to the public and will include a lunch. Panelists include:
    Joseph Torres, co-author of the New York Times bestseller, "News for All The People: The Epic Story of Race and the American Media"
    Gautham Nagesh, an editor for CQ Roll Call who reports on politics, race, media and technology
    Jenée Desmond-Harris, White House correspondent for the Root
    And Steve Holmes, executive director for the Office of Standards and Practices at CNN, will moderate the discussion.
    Where: National Association of Broadcasters, 1771 N Street NW, Washington D.C. 20036
    When: Friday, March 8, 2013

    To register email: info@theloop21.com and for more information email: shontel@theloop21.com


    SAJA Members Judge the Pulitzer Prizes

    This year's Pulitzer Prizes are getting a look-over from three SAJA members! Peter Bhatia(Editor of The Oregonian), Davan Maharaj(Editor of the Los Angeles Times) and Raju Narisetti (Managing Editor of the Wall Street Journal's digital network) are serving on the jury for the Pulitzers, which will be announced in April.

    As SAJA board member and co-founder Sree Sreenivasin wrote on our blog SAJAForum, South Asians are making waves in the media world, "there are several other senior editors running news operations in the U.S." Many of them featured in last year's Editors Challenge and this year's Broadcast Challenge.

    Take a look at SAJAForum for other interesting media insights from our members. And if you are interested in volunteering by blogging for us, please contact SAJA Secretary Shefali Kulkarni: secretary@saja.org

  • SAJA Scholarship Applications Now Open!

    2013-02-21 11:44 PM | Anonymous

    The South Asian Journalists Association has now opened up applications for its various scholarships. This year the National Board members have approved up to $60,000 in scholarship and internship funds. High school, undergraduate and graduateapplicants are encouraged to apply. The deadline for these scholarships is March 10, 2013! Apply now!

    https://saja.submittable.com/submit

    And be sure to check out and 'like' the SAJA Students Facebook page for more information on jobs, internships and fellowship opportunities.

  • A Message From The New SAJA President

    2013-02-10 11:30 PM | Anonymous
    Dear Members,

    It is my privilege and honor to serve as SAJA's national president this year. We will continue to work to further SAJA's mission: helping include more South Asian journalists in newsrooms and encouraging the in-depth news coverage of South Asia and the South Asian diaspora.

    We are planning to organize several events, including newsroom visits, resume critiques, mixers, workshops and panels. We will hold our annual awards dinner this summer in New York City and hope to see you there.

    The national board already approved up to $60,000 in scholarships and internship funds for its student members. These funds will help young South Asian journalists and students advance their media careers.
    We rely entirely on donors for our funds and we would like you to show your support by contributing to SAJA. The funds raised will be used toward reporting projects, journalism student scholarships and workshops for mid-career journalists.

    We are currently in the midst of the SAJA Broadcast Challenge where some fabulous current and former broadcast folks have come together to create a challenge grant for SAJA members and friends. Their special pool of money will match, dollar-for-dollar, all donations made, up to a total of $10,000.

    We have until March 15 to complete this challenge! Please help us by contributing to this challenge - no amount is too small! You can donate here via credit card or Paypal: http://saja.org/broadcast.



    Any checks made out to us should be to SAJA Group Inc. and should be mailed to:



    John Laxmi, Treasurer

    17 Cotswood Road

    Greenwich, CT 06830

    All donations must be sent to SAJA Group, Inc. (not to SAJA). Donations to SAJA are NOT tax deductible.



    SAJA Group, Inc. is a tax-exempt charitable organization which supports SAJA's programs and activities. Donations to SAJA Group, Inc. are tax deductible under current laws. SAJA Group, Inc.'s Federal tax ID number is: 55-0844632 and New York State ID is 20-70-28.


    Please don't hesitate to contact me or Sharaf Mowjood, the vice president, with any questions, suggestions or concerns. Email us at president@saja.org & vp@saja.org.


    We are looking forward to hearing from you.



    Warmest regards,

    Sovy Azhath

  • SAJA Announces New President, VP And Other Executive Board Members‏

    2013-02-04 11:47 PM | Anonymous
    SAJA's New Executive Board

    During SAJA's first board meeting of the year, members voted for their new Executive Board. Sovy Azhath, a producer/writer for CNN Headline News, was elected as this year's president. Sharaf Mowjood, associate producer for NBC's Rock Center, was elected as vice president. Shefali Kulkarni, a multimedia reporter with Kaiser Health News, was elected as secretary. Long-time SAJA board member, John Laxmi was re-elected as the organization's treasurer. And Raakhee Mirchandani-Singh, fashion editor for the New York Daily News, was re-elected as the officer-at-large.

    Other board members include: Aarti Virani, an arts and culture writer, Amita Parashar, a producer for NPR's Tell Me More, Anusha Shrivastava, assistant director of Career Services for Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism, Anup Kaphle, digital editor for foreign and national security for the Washington Post, Jigar Mehta is the director of operations at Matter and Sree Sreenivasan, founder of SAJA and Columbia University's chief digital officer.

    Funds Approved For Student Scholarships & Internships

    To learn more about SAJA scholarships & other funding opportunities visit: http://www.saja.org/scholarships. The new 2013 national board voted on approving up to $60,000 in scholarships and internship funds for its student members. These funds will help young South Asian journalists and students advance their media careers.

  • SAJA announces newly elected board for 2013-2014

    2012-12-05 4:26 PM | Anup Kaphle

    SAJA members re-elected five incumbents and added two new members to the board for next year, in the annual election where ten candidates ran for seven open seats.


    Those elected at the annual meeting on Dec. 4 were Sree Sreenivasan, Jigar Mehta, Amita Parashar, Sharaf Mowjood, Raakhee Mirchandani, Shefali Kulkarni and Aarti Virani.

    The other candidates, in what was a close election, were Nausheen Husain, Ravi Shankar and Shaumya Vaishampayan.

    Sreenivasan, a co-founder of SAJA, is     the chief digital officer at Columbia University. Mehta, a former SAJA president is the director of operations for Matter, a new media organization that supports journalism entrepreneurs. Parashar is a producer at NPR's Tell Me More and administers SAJA's scholarship program. Mowjood is an associate producer for NBC's Rock Center. Mirchandani is the deputy features editor and the fashion editor at the New York Daily News.


    Kulkarni is a multimedia journalist with Kaiser Health News and Virani is an arts and culture writer.


    They join current board members Anusha Shrivastava, Sovy Azhath, John Laxmi and Anup Kaphle.


    Leaving the board after five two-year terms is freelancer writer Aseem Chhabra, who will continue to run our New York City chapter events. 


    The board will hold its first meeting in February, when it will elect officers for SAJA's executive committee made up of SAJA's president, vice president, treasurer, secretary and an at-large officer.

    The new board hopes you will get involved in SAJA activities in the new year. Send ideas, tips, suggestions to saja@saja.org

    If you haven't made a donation to support SAJA's work this year, please consider doing so -- every dollar goes to support our programming, scholarships and fellowships.

    If you haven't signed up or renewed your membership (just $40 for journalists; $40 for non-journalists; $20 for students), please do so now.

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