Journalist of the Year award announced

Dr Sharon Handley and Shekhar Bhatia

THE winner of this year’s Asian Media Awards Journalist of the Year is Shekhar Bhatia, whose work includes the first television interview with Reeva Steenkamp’s parents in South Africa and a special investigation into the death of Anni Dewani.

The prize, which is sponsored by Manchester Metropolitan University and Routes into Languages North West, is given to a journalist who has made an outstanding contribution to the reporting of issues relating to black, Asian and minority ethnic communities.

Shekhar is a journalist who in 2014 celebrated 30 years on Fleet Street. In recent years he has produced documentaries for Channel Four’s Cutting Edge, Dispatches and the BBC’s Panorama.

He said, “I’m very honoured grateful, humbled and totally knocked out by this. It’s amazing. It’s been an incredible year for me. It’s a tough and gruelling exercise but honourable and wonderful career. I’m very lucky to have met some great people and to get this is incredible.”

Real commitment

The Dean of the Faculty of Humanities, Languages and Social Science at MMU, Dr Sharon Handley said: "Manchester Metropolitan University has a real commitment to engaging with and representing the community it serves.

"We are proud of the contributions our ethnically diverse communities make, and proud to be at the forefront of promoting and celebrating the outstanding achievements being made in the media sector.

"We recognise the importance of promoting journalism within the Asian community to ensure that people with a diverse range of backgrounds and perspectives enter the profession."

Routes into Languages Project Manager, Yasmin Hussain said, "The sponsorship demonstrates our support for raising the profile of journalism to produce future talented journalists. Both the faculty of Humanities, Languages and Social Science and Routes into Languages NW are committed to raising educational attainment and achievement of pupils across the region."

Impressive shortlist

The 2014 finalists included, Anushka Asthana, Sky News’ political correspondent; BBC presenter Sangita Myska; Asjad Nazir, entertainment editor at the Eastern Eye; Catrin Nye, reporter, BBC Asian Network and Abul Taher, journalist on the Mail on Sunday.

Special awards on the night went to Krishnan Guru-Murthy who was named Media Personality of the Year; Nina Wadia who collected the Sophiya Haque Services to British Television Award and Waris Hussein who was honoured with the Outstanding Contribution to Media Award.

The Best Investigation Award went to Ross Kemp for the Extreme World: India episode.

The Asian Media Awards were held at the Hilton Manchester Deansgate on Tuesday October 28.