SAJA to host annual awards dinner in New York City on October 3.
By Raif Karerat
The South Asian Journalists Association (SAJA) has announced its 2015 scholarship and Internship Fund winners, with a gala awards reception in New York City, on October 3.
The SAJA Summer Internship Fund is a need-based award given to student journalists who demonstrate financial need, an enthusiasm for journalism, and a commitment to SAJA, according to the association’s website.
“Shrinking newsroom budgets mean less paid internships around the country. If an enterprising student can secure an unpaid or partially paid internship at a media organization, a little financial help from SAJA to meet basic expenses will help the student gain valuable experience, networking connection in the media industry and clips.”
This year, SAJA distributed $10,000 among four students who have already secured summer internships.
In terms of scholarships, while this year’s total outlay has not been published, last year SAJA provided $60,000 to journalists of South Asian origin.
This year’s scholarship winners include Anushka Patil, Aryanna Prasad, Aysha Khan, Hasan Ali, Karishma Mehrotra, Lakshmi Sarah, Mahmuda Jhorna, Naveed Iqbal, Pooja Salhotra, Prashanth Perumal Jeyathilagar, Raza Naqvi, Saurabh Datar, Sonali Kudva, Sonia Rao, and Sushma Udipi Nagendran.
The Summer Internship Fund recipients are Zainab Khan, Ankur Paliwal, Duranya Freeman, and Angad Singh.
SAJA has posted a full list of scholarship and Internship Fun winners here and also here, respectively.
Currently, SAJA is accepting applications for the “SAJA-Knowledge@Wharton Scholarship for Minority Journalists,” which was established in 1999 as a collaboration between the South Asian Journalists Association and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
This scholarship program is designed to enhance the quality of minority business journalism. It provides a member of SAJA — as well as up to one journalist each belonging to Asian American Journalists Association, National Association of Hispanic Journalists, Native American Journalists Association, and The Association of LGBT Journalists — with a scholarship to attend the Wharton Seminars for Business Journalists in Philadelphia between October 11 and 14.