Nanda Kumar Dewan has bagged American Awards' Excellence in Community & Development Journalism 2022

Nanda Kumar Dewan conferred American Awards’ Excellence in Community & Development Journalism 2022

Nanda Kumar Dewan a well-recognized face in the field of Journalism for more than one and half decade in North Eastern part of India have been conferred American Awards’ Excellence in ‘Community & Development Journalism 2022’ of 'International Talent Personality Awards' and is among one of awardee among eminence of global winners under the category 'American Awards’ Best in Professional Journalism'  Mr. Dewan based out of Guwahati is also acknowledged in community led development movements and income improving initiatives for rural community.

Most of his works and contributions are highly commendable in the field of his profession, highlighting crucial community and development issues.  He has extensively covered from conflict zones and has reported on United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA), National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) and its splinter groups also the Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN) since ceasefire which provides its readers with actual struggling stories of arms movement in the region.

He has covered peace and conflicts but dedicatedly reported communities concerns and development for more haan a decade. Mr Dewan was awarded with the “Community Development & Global Peace Journalism 7^th International Award 2020” on the 10^th of Dec 2021 in Kathmandu, Nepal which is well deserved by him.  This was the seventh edition of the international award which is being given away once in three years since its inception in 2000. Nanda Kumar Dewan is also known Nanda Kirati Dewan sometimes written as Nanda Kr or K Dewan in shortened form that stands for both Kumar and Kirati.

‘The American Awards’ Excellence in Community & Development Journalism 2022 does not only prove his eminence but also engendered the pride of his community and his people. He has several community recognitions and awards for his coruscating commitment towards revealing local area concerns, reporting developments with financial and political turns of events, raising issues, predicaments and worries in fair boundaries and undertaking their privileges to be indulged in the constitution, over the past 15 years.

Being on good terms with the society and as a handsomely paid journalist working with deep persuasion and firm commitment, I can competently affirm that he is a truly valuable asset to any team unequivocally as one who works with him will thoroughly enjoy the time and acquire fruitful learning.’, said Pranab Bora, Editor in Chief of NewsFile and former Resident Editor, The Telegraph Guwahati edition. 

‘I am proud of his achievement and congratulate him. His dynamic personality and dedication towards Community Journalism and community related services of social welfare, strong determination to work for the betterment of the community makes him a leader of the young generation with exemplary qualities reaching out to them to be humans with humanity.

He is one of the leading newage digital journalists who has been part of digital journalist association and is the founder member of Digital Media Journalist Forum of Assam’, added Bora who is also the advisor of the forum. Also being a digital journalist he is active on his social media platform facebook and twitter and engages in public discourse.

Convent educated Nanda Kr Dewan was born on Feb19,1987 to a cultivator father Ganesh Dewan and homemaker mother Chandra Maya Dewan and acquired degree in Mass Communication and Journalism from Sikkim Manipal University after completing schooling from St. Johns English High School, Karbianglong, Assam. With excellent command over the subject, knowledge of the professional language his career growth is phenomenal.

He rose from intern reporter to Editorial position in one decade of continuous service and has demonstrated amazing managing skills since 2006. He started his career in 2006 as an photo news caption editor and photojournalist in UB Photos & News agency and served till 2009. While in UB Photos he was given special assignments covering VVIP visits including foreign heads of the states. He has covered two prime ministers of India also in his career other than cabinet ministers and visiting foreign heads of states.

He also covered two Heads of US Mission to India and other Ambassadors and High Commissioners. Popular as community journalist more particularly Gorkha community specialist at the Gauhati Press Club, he has extensively reported on demand of indigenous status of Gorkhas since upgradation of National Register of Citizens (NRC) process in Assam and continuously on Gorkha Autonomous Council (GAC) in Assam that contributed creation of Gorkha Development Council (GDC) in 2010 and recently in 2021 withdrawal of D voters cases pending against the since 1997 through a cabinet decision.   

His continuous intervention as community youth leader and rolling reportage with continuous coverage nationally backed by organizational agitation lead to  solution of D Voters issues and Land Rights being granted in  the protected Tribal Belt and Block in Assam.

Nanda Kumar Dewan is an owner of multi dynamic personality who commands in English, Nepali, Hindi, Assamese and few other regional community languages are commendable. An outspoken communicator, a class orator Dewan had a short stint in Television Journalism in a nascent launched nepali language infotainment and India based news channel ABN TV where he headed his region bureau as its Editor North East Affairs.

Dewan was the Associate Editor (North East) of The Echo of India national daily published from 5 locations, currently Dewan is Assistant Editor of Eastern Newsfile – a weekly tabloid published by NewsFile digital media organization and also is a guest contributor to East Mojo a digital media group.

He is also an honorary editorial mentor, content advisor for recently launched community and regional digital media units, being founding core committee member of Mobile Journalists Association of India. He has been accorded special felicitations by several community organizations of the region for his unparalleled reporting on community issues thereby compelling the authorities concern to commit and act.

He has been recognized for his works by press clubs and media organizations across the country. His contribution to community development journalism is paramount and has also been recognized in the region too. He was felicitated with Kalimpong Press Club’s Emerging Journalist Award in 2008 and voted 'Top 10 Gorkhas of Assam' by 'Sapariwar' vernacular language monthly magazine published from Assam's capital Guwahati city by one of the prestigious publishing house HMS Publication Pvt. Ltd.  which publishes 3 monthly magazine and weeklies after being nominated from journalism field.

At a young age for his outstanding contribution in community and digital journalism he was given Honorary Membership of the pioneer press club of Assam the  Gauhati Press Club in 2010.. The Kalimpong Press Club of West Bengal had invited him as a resource person in their annual workshop and felicitated him with honorary membership for his immense contribution to community and development journalism.

On National Press Day on the occasion of its first foundation day Mobile Journalism Association of India (MOJAI) awarded Nanda Kumar Dewan with ‘National Excellence Award for Community and Development Journalism 2019’ and in 2022 MOJAI honored him with Honorary Membership.  Indian Journalist Union virtually awarded him with Himalayan Excellence Journalism Award 2021 for being the recipient of the prestigious international award and his unparalleled contribution in community journalism. 

Awardee Nanda Kr Dewan has thanked the jury members for his selection for the prestigious award and said, ‘Being a community and development journalist, we prioritize community concerns that need immediate attention but are hardly recognized even within an organization. I am grateful to the American Awards organization for conferring me the Excellence in Community & Development Journalism award 2022 and giving me international recognition.

I must thank the jury for choosing me for this international honour and evaluators who spoke to me virtually to analyze my work while accepting my nomination.  I dedicate this award to the unheard, unreached indigenous communities of the country who should be given a platform to voice their concern and create a system to solve and address it.’

A widely travelled spiritual person, besides being a journalist Dewan is also known to be a humanitarian activist who helped hundreds of his journalist colleagues and communities during covid19 crisis with essentials, medicines and vaccination programs. 

He also led an awareness campaign on precautionary measures and against myths of deadly coronavirus and unscientific fears on vaccinations. During the massive earthquake in neighbouring country Nepal and state Sikkim he began a relief materials campaign in association with NGOs and delivered it to affected areas. For this exceptional quality he gets invitations from NGOs for visiting their site and evaluates their works.

Dewan  is a class orator, trainer and at par excellent speaker who gets regular invitations  to institutes as keynote speaker and chief guest to motivate students and generations. His fraternity in Guwahati and friends from the Northeast region are happy to learn about the recognition and his village Chandanpur in Golaghat  Assam are proud and happy for his success.

It appears that Dewan being a man of principle with extremely high morale is an asset for the fraternity and can be a priceless resource in any society he lives in, any association he is affiliated to or any organization he gets associated with.