ICPA Showers Honours, Awards Upon RTI Activists, Journalists At National Conference

BANGALORE, MAY 14, 2008, 10.30 Hrs (SAR News):

The Indian Catholic Press Association(ICPA) showered honours and awards upon RTI activists and journalists at the 14th National Journalists conference held in Bangalore may 12th . Justice Santosh N Hegde was presented with a memento for his "indomitable crusade against corruption in the country". he received the award from Father Adolf Washington, President of the ICPA. Father Prashant Madhta received the ICPA-special recognition award from Justice Hegde for his Thesaurus work in kannada PADANIDHI (treasury of words). The ICPA recognised his work as a "contribution to kannada literature and kannada journalism".

Father CM Paul was awarded the best SAR news reporter (Barret Award), while Hindi Monthly Nishkalanka received the Swami Devanand Chakkungal award for hindi journalism. The ICPA-Luis Carreno award went to mumbai-based freelance journalist Caroline D'souza while Bangalore-based dalit activist and kannada writer Y Mariswamy received the ICPA-Dalit reportage award.

RTI activists Shailesh Gandhi and Aruna Roy received special recognition plaques for their efforts in working for justice and equality in the country through their RTI crusades. Transparency International (India) received a special appreciation award for their efforts in monitoring and checking corruption in the country.

The ICPA annual awards were given away by CBCI Executive Secretary for Social Communication, Fr Henry Dsouza, Union of the International Catholic Press (UCIP) secretary General Joseph Chitallipilly and Speaker of the Bihar Assembly Roy Chaudhury at a public funtion at the Jothi Nivas College Auditorium in Bangalore.