The Hindu Group’s Chairperson receives Columbia Journalism School’s Distinguished Alumni Award

Malini Parthasarathy, who was in its class of 1982, credited with steering The Hindu Group’s digital transformation

Malini Parthasarathy, Chairperson, The Hindu Group, receiving the alumni award on Saturday.  | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

The Hindu Group Chairperson Malini Parthasarathy received the Columbia Journalism School’s Distinguished Alumni Award at a function organised at the institution on Saturday.

She was among the six alumni chosen for the award for the year 2022. The names of the awardees were announced in December 2021.

After receiving the award, Dr. Parthasarathy said in a tweet: “Receiving a Distinguished Alumni Award from the Columbia J-School Dean ⁦⁦@SteveCollNY. Truly a high point in my life journey, validating as it does forty years of my work in journalism, making all the struggles so worthwhile!”

“Deeply honoured and humbled today to receive a Distinguished Alumni Award from my alma mater the iconic @columbiajourn School,” she said in another tweet.

She received the award from Steve Coll, the Dean of Columbia Journalism School. She also took part in a panel discussion on press freedom and democracy moderated by him.

In her acceptance speech, Dr. Parthasarathy said, “The Hindu has been my life support and is my primary connect to journalism. I am forever grateful. The Hindu newspaper remains a beacon of the highest editorial values in these challenging times. I would like to dedicate my award to The Hindu and its sustained commitment to producing great journalism.”

While announcing the award in December, the institution credited Dr. Parthasarathy, who was in its class of 1982, with steering a journey of digital transformation of The Hindu Group’s editorial products, particularly the 143-year-old flagship national daily newspaper, The Hindu.

“Parthasarathy has been a political journalist for over three decades, writing news stories and editorials on major themes in Indian politics, including the rise of Hindu nationalism and the consequent challenges to the existing political consensus,” it said.

Other awardees for 2022 were Thomas Maier, author and investigative reporter at Newsday; Eric Marcus, founder and host of the Making Gay History podcast; Stuart Schear, vice-president for communications and marketing at the American Jewish World Service; Wendy Lu, staff editor at HuffPost; Mukhtar Ibrahim, founder, editor and executive director of Sahan Journal.