NDTV‘s popular anchor and journalist Ravish Kumar has been honored with the 2019 Ramon Magsaysay Award, the highest honour given to Asian individuals and organizations, which is known as the Asian version of the Nobel Prize.
The board of trustees recognizes his harnessing journalism skills which give voice to the voiceless and unfaltering commitment to professional and ethical journalism of the highest standards.
Along with Ravish Kumar, Myanmar-based journalist Ko Swe Win, Angkhana Neelapaijit from Thailand, Raymundo Pujante Cayabyab from Philippines and Kim Jong Ki from South Korea were also honoured with the prestigious prize.
After winning the prestigious award which is named after former Philippine President Ramon Magsaysay, the popular anchor confessed, “it is very difficult for real and neutral media to survive because media needs corporate finances and therefore, it is difficult for it to remain neutral.”
“Striving for people-based journalism, he calls his newsroom 'the people's newsroom'. He is most vocal in insisting that the professional values of sober, balanced, fact-based reporting be upheld in practice," the foundation board said.
Ravish has been with NDTV since 1996 and has often face threat for his fearless speak. He is raised in Jitwarpur in Bihar and pursued his early interest in history and public affairs at the Delhi University.
Acknowledging his journalism skill, Ramon Magsaysay Foundation said: "He does not balk at calling the highest officials to account or criticizing media and the state of public discourse in the country; for this reason, he has been harassed and threatened by rabid partisans of one kind or another".
