Meet our Chevening SAJP Fellows 2023-24

Shabbir Hussain is a Multimedia Journalist and HR Activist, currently working with Pakistan's premier news agency APP and providing services for media outlets as a diplomatic correspondent. He covers climate change, HR, politics, culture, and diplomatic affairs in written and video formats.

Adilah currently works as Senior Producer with ARY News. During her 15 years of experience in broadcast journalism, she has worked with Pakistan’s top television channels. She covers stories across politics, global affairs, elections, and sports, with extensive experience of handling marathon transmissions.

Kiran has been involved with the news media industry for 16+ years. She started her journey at ARY News Channel after completing a master's degree in International Relations at Karachi University in 2006. Kiran covers topics including politics, terrorism, crime and natural disasters.

Rifthi Ali is a seasoned journalist specialising in investigative reporting, RTI and fact-checking. In addition to writing two books and working as a media trainer, he has received several fellowships including IVLP and the Australia Awards.

Indulekha is a journalist in India with over 15 years of experience, specialising in deep-dive news features. Her reporting has taken her across India and she has covered a range of issues from human rights violations in Gujarat to floods in Kerala. Her interests lie in social justice, politics and culture.

Senthalir is an Indian journalist covering the intersection of caste, gender and labour. She has been reporting extensively from across southern India on the practices of untouchability, caste conflicts and gender-based violence.

Nasreen Habib is an Indian journalist interested in gender, migration and climate change. She edited an independent magazine called Eclectic NorthEast, which won the Statesman’s Rural Journalism Reporting award in 2018. She has been an editor with OUP, DK Books, and Katha.

Poonam Pandey writes on national politics and defence issues. She has worked with CNBC Awaaz and Aaj Tak news channels. Her politics assignments take her across India, and and she often visits the LAC (China border) and LOC (Pakistan border) for defence reporting.

Shumaila has worked with the Associated Press of Pakistan, the premier state-run news agency, as Senior Journalist with distinction for the last 15 years. She covers education, science and technology, human rights, culture, archaeology and writes features and articles on social issues affecting society.

Naeem Sahoutara is a multimedia investigative journalist working with Pakistan's leading English daily Dawn, covering judiciary, human rights, environment, gender and religion. He has worked with The Express Tribune and won the prestigious AGAAHI Award twice.

Maksud Un Nabi is a Special Correspondent at Channel 24, a leading TV station in Bangladesh. His reporting on the Rohingya refugee crisis, climate change and environment was widely praised. He received Unicef's Meena Media Award in 2012 & 2016, Dhaka Reporters Unity Best Reporting Award 2020, IGP Media Award 2017.

Sakhi Khalid is the English Section Senior for Hasht-e Subh Daily Newspaper. His academic endeavours include pursuing an MBA in HRM at Panjab University, Chandigarh, India. Khalid has been a blogger, content writer, and frequent contributor to leading local newspapers on socio-political affairs.

Rakesh works with the political bureau of The Economic Times and covers the Prime Minister's Office, Parliament, politics and policy. He has an M.A. and M.Phil. degree in Political Science from Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi. He has worked with The Times of India, PTI, IANS in the past. He is also half-marathoner.

Risham is a digital storyteller, media trainer and communication strategist based in Lahore, Pakistan. She is the director of Maati TV, a web platform dedicated towards creating advocacy on social justice issues. She has created over 300 digital stories and has trained over 3000 individuals in citizen journalism.

SAM Jahan is an award-winning multiplatform journalist from Dhaka, Bangladesh. He was awarded the prestigious Human Rights Press Awards three times for his excellent Rohingya refugee crisis coverage and the reputed Covering Climate Now award for his climate reports. Sam is a renowned press trainer and rights activist.

Omkar is a journalist who specialises in narrative features. He has reported from India, United Kingdom, Germany and the Maldives. His works are published in Indian and international news outlets, including the Mint, The Caravan, BBC and Al Jazeera. He is a Ramnath Goenka for Excellence in Journalism awardee.

Sonali Wanigabaduge is an award-winning Sri Lankan media professional and lawyer at News1st of the Capital Maharaja Group. She hosts ‘The People’s Platform’, a bilingual television talk show aimed at creating more participatory conversations around democracy, transitional justice, governance & socio-economic reform.