2023
First Rajkumar Keswani Award to Dr. Vartika Nanda: Ceremony held in Bhopal on 26th November
The inaugural Rajkumar Keswani Award was presented to Dr. Vartika Nanda for her extraordinary contribution to prison reforms. The award, which includes a cash prize of one lakh rupees, a citation, and a memento, acknowledges Nanda’s persistent endeavours in fulfilling communication needs of prison inmates in India through Tinka Tinka Foundation. She has established Tinka Model of Prison Radio and has laid the foundation of Tinka Jail Journalism, empowering inmates to engage in constructive journalism. She is credited to bring prison radios in District Jail, Dehradun (Uttarakhand), District Jail, Agra (Uttar Pradesh) and the jails of Haryana. www.tinkatinka.org
The ceremony was organized on Keswani’s 73rd birth anniversary to commemorate his impactful investigative journalism, especially on the Bhopal gas tragedy. The ceremony took place at the Madhavrao Sapre Newspaper Museum in Bhopal, where prominent lyricist Irshad Kamil and film writer Rumi Jaffrey were in attendance. Theatre artist and actor Rajiv Verma presided over the programme. Reflecting on Keswani’s immense contribution, Museum founder Dr. Vijay Dutt Sridhar noted that Keswani was perhaps the sole voice who repeatedly pointed out the dangers of the safety lapses in the Union Carbide Plant, long before the Bhopal gas tragedy actually struck in 1984. Keswani, an influential figure in both print and television media, succumbed to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021. His widely admired ‘Aapas Ki Baat‘ column attested to his unique style of film writing, garnering huge readership.
राजकुमार केसवानी की स्मृति में उनके नाम पर पहला सम्मान पत्रकार डॉ. वर्तिका नन्दा को
2023: 26 नवंबर। मध्य प्रदेश की राजधानी भोपाल में रविवार, 26 नवंबर को विख्यात पत्रकार स्वर्गीय राजकुमार केसवानी की स्मृति में उनके नाम पर पहला सम्मान पत्रकार डॉ. वर्तिका नन्दा को दिया गया. माधवराव सप्रे समाचार-पत्र संग्रहालय में आयोजित इस समारोह में डॉ. नंदा को सम्मान स्वरूप एक लाख रुपये की राशि, शॉल-श्रीफल दिया गया.
कार्यक्रम में गीतकार और लेखक इरशाद कामिल, अभिनेता राजीव वर्मा और फिल्म राइटर रूमी जाफरी विशेष रूप से उपस्थित थे. इनके अलावा, पद्मश्री विजय दत्त श्रीधर, राजेश बादल, अशोक मनवानी सहित पत्रकारिता जगत की अन्य हस्तियां और स्वर्गीय केसवानी के बेटे रौनक केसवानी व अन्य परिजन कार्यक्रम में मोजूद रहे.
2023: 21 October: Tinka Tinka Jail Radio received Laadli Media & Advertising Awards for Gender Sensitivity (13th edition) on 21 October, 2023. This award was given in the Web-Podcasts category for episode 36 of Tinka Tinka Jail Radio titled – Ambala jail radio and women inmates. The venue for the award ceremony was Rajasthan International Centre. Vartika Nanda has received this award for the third time.
Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kptZH-omhjk
October, 2023 In Laadli Award: Tinka Tinka Jail Radio Receives Laadli Media Award: Women inmates in Ambala Jail, Tinka Jail Radio is conceived & narrated by Dr. Vartika Nanda – Woman’s era (womansera.com)
2023: 23 April: Received Women Achievers Award By Aalekh Foundation & Gunjan Foundation, today at Leila Palace, Chanakyapuri, Delhi. Chief Guest: Justice (Retd.) A.K.Sikri. This Award was given for her work on Tinka Tinka Prison Reforms.
2023: 16 January, 2023: KKK: Felicitated by Shri Sanjay Arora, Commissioner of Police, Delhi for Kissa Khaki Ka on 16th January, 2023. Kissa Khaki Ka is the first and the only podcast in India which is being run by any police department. Vartika Nanda has conceived these podcasts and is the official storyteller. This podcast series presents to the world extraordinary stories of crime and humanity related to Delhi Police personnel.
2022
2022: November 2: Laadli Media & Advertising Award for Gender Sensitivity in the Web Podcast (Hindi) category by Population First in 2022 for her Tinka Tinka Jail Radio Podcast, episode 11, titled- Holi and Karnal Jail Radio, conceived and produced by Tinka Tinka Foundation. This podcast broadcast on March 29, 2021. Tinka Tinka Jail Radio podcasts are the only podcasts in India dedicated to prison reforms in India. The award was presented at the 12th Edition of Laadli Awards. Award ceremony was held in Hyderabad.
Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-88wKwcB_g&t=25s
2022: 26 October: Hindi Seva Samman by Prabha Sakshi on its 21st anniversary. Vartika Nanda was chosen among 19 journalists from India.
2018
2018: May 30: Conferred with Madhav Rao Sapre Journalism Award for the year 2018 by Madhav Rao Sapre Smriti Samachar Patra Sanghrahaly aur Shodh Sansthan, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh on the occasion of Hindi Patrakarita Diwas.
2017
September 30: Hindustan Times selected as one of the six women with Mettle of Durga and featured prominently in the Saturday edition dedicated to Durga Puja.
2017: Tinka Tinka Tihar, the song, included in the Limca Book of Records. Vartika Nanda conceptualized, scripted and directed this unique musical video of its kind showcasing the musical wealth of Tihar inmates. This song was shot and produced by Lok Sabha TV. It was released in Parliament House Chamber by Smt. Sumitra Mahajan, Speaker, Lok Sabha in May, 2015.
2015
2015: Tinka Tinka Tihar, the book, (Co–edited with Vimla Mehra, IPS, DG, Delhi Prisons) included in the Limca Book of Records for the year 2015. This is the first book of its kind, including poems written by selected women inmates of Tihar Jail.
2015: February 7: Laadli Media and Advertising Award for Gender Sensitivity for the year 2013–14 for the public service film – Nanakpura Kuch Nahi Bhoolta. This film was selected as the Best issue-based Documentary in Hindi for the Northern Region and the award was given by the Culture Minister Chhattisgarh.
2014
2014: March 8: President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee conferred Stree Shakti Puraskar (Rani Gaidinliu Zeliang Award) on Vartika Nanda on the occasion of International Women’s Day at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on March 8, 2014. This award was given in recognition for her contribution in creating awareness on women’s issues through media and literature. This is the highest civilian honour for women empowerment in India. Instituted in 1991, these awards are given to illustrious women on the occasion of International Women’s Day every year. 6 women were given these awards for the year 2013.
Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mxmOOYq7lE&t=3s
2013
2013: May 9: Youth Icon of the Year Award: Journalism
2012
2012: August 17: Rituraj Parampara Samman for the collection of poetry – Thee. Hoon.. Rahungi… published by Rajkamal Prakashan in 2012.
2012: September 4: Dr. Radhakrishnan Memorial National Media Award for contribution to Journalism
2007
2007: Recipient of the Bharatendu Harishchandra Award for the year 2005 for the book Television aur Apradh Patrakaarita, published by the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, New Delhi in 2005. Instituted by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting in 1983, these awards are given to promote original writings in Hindi on journalism and mass communication.
