Laadli Media Award to Tinka Tinka Jail Radio and Vartika Nanda
By Jaisila Bajaj
Tinka Tinka Prison Radio is honoured with the Laadli Media Award in Hyderabad in the Hindi category of Web Podcasts. The award was given for episode 11 of the Tinka Tinka Jail Radio Podcast titled as ‘Jail Radio celebrating Holi in Karnal’.
The episode focused on the dry-run of Jail Radio in District Jail, Karnal, undertaken by 10 inmate-turned-RJs of the jail. These inmates were a part of the radio skill production training programme, included in the broad prison radio training project in the state of Haryana. The training was intended to carve Radio Jockeys from the league of inmates and prepare them to run their own radio stations from behind the prison bars. Audition, training and execution of prison radio in Haryana is done by prison reformer Dr. Vartika Nanda. She heads the Department of Journalism in Lady Shri Ram College, Delhi University. She was conferred Stri Shakti Award by President of India in 2014. This is the highest civilian award for women empowerment in India.
Tinka Tinka Jail Radio Podcasts are an exclusive audio series for jails across India. These podcasts are the only podcasts in India solely dedicated to prison reforms in the country and aim to bring about a positive change in prisons. With no financial support, these podcasts, which began in 2020, have been successful in highlighting original voices of inmates from different prisons of the country. Conceptualised, scripted and voiced by Dr. Vartika Nanda, these podcasts freely available on Tinka Tinka Foundation’s YouTube channel: Tinka Tinka Prison Reforms.
Laadli Media Awards is an initiative of the Laadli group which works with media to change the way India thinks about its women and releases annual Media and Advertising awards for Gender Sensitivity. This was the 12th year of such awards.
Award winning category: Episode 11: Holi and Karnal Jail Radio: Vartika Nanda
Tinka Tinka Jail Radio: Ep 11: Holi and Karnal Jail Radio: Vartika Nanda – YouTube
