The Indraprastha Vishwa Samvad Kendra on 16 June 2026 felicitated 12 journalists at the Devarshi Narad Patrakar Samman 2026, held at the Speaker Hall of the Constitution Club in New Delhi. The annual ceremony recognised reporters, editors, and digital creators across diverse categories for ethical, impactful, and public-service journalism.

Key Dignitaries

Rahul Kanwal, CEO and Editor-in-Chief of NDTV, graced the event as chief guest. Sunil Ambekar, Akhil Bharatiya Prachar Pramukh of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), delivered the keynote address. Other prominent RSS representatives in attendance included Narendra Thakur, Vishal, and Rajesh.

The Awardees

Each recipient was selected through a rigorous jury process led by senior media professionals — Mamta Verma (DD News), Raj Kishore (Amar Ujala), Rohit Vishwakarma (NDTV India), Brajesh Kumar Singh (Network18), Aishwarya Pandit (ITV Network), and Harish Chandra Barnwal (Blue Kraft Foundation). Winners received certificates, mementos, shawls, and a cash award of ₹11,000 each.

The full list of honourees: Pooja Rana (OpIndia) for Outstanding Young Journalist; Garima Upreti for Journalism on Women's Issues; Himani Diwan (Kisan Tak) for Rural/Environmental Journalism; Vimal Tyagi, Mayank Baliyan, and Manogya Tiwari for excellence in YouTube, X, and Instagram content creation respectively; Prabhat Ranjan Mishra for Investigative Journalism; Neeraj Kumar Dubey for Digital Journalism; Nihal Singh (Dainik Jagran) for Print Journalism; Dr Ram Kinkar Singh (PTI) for TV Journalism; Shashwat Panigrahi for Column Writing; and Ramanuj Sharma (Hindusthan Samachar) for Innovative Journalism.

What the Speakers Said

Kanwal drew on the mythological figure of Devarshi Narad to argue that authentic journalism rests on empathetic engagement and facilitating dialogue — qualities he described as beyond the reach of artificial intelligence. He urged journalists to prioritise meaningful human connections even as technology disrupts the media landscape.

Ambekar called on media professionals to surface societal truths rather than filter every issue through a political prism. 'Journalists should not become part of politics,' he said, while noting India's progress across sectors and advocating for technology in service of humanity. He also stressed the importance of collective effort toward national development.

Context and Significance

The ceremony also featured an overview of the RSS centenary celebrations presented by Rajesh Kumar, alongside a walkthrough of the selection process by Brajesh Kumar Singh. A large gathering of editors, senior journalists, and social media creators attended. This is the continuing edition of an annual award that has carved a distinct space for honouring journalism rooted in ethics and public accountability — notably spanning both legacy print and television media alongside digital and social-media creators, reflecting how the definition of journalism itself is widening.