Rajani Varrier receiving the first Shoba Shekar memorial media award from former Kerala Chief Minister A.K.Antony

Trivandrum Press Club Secretary M.Radhakrishnan during welcome address

Thiruvananthapuram ,Sept 19

Former Chief Minister of Kerala and former Union Defense Minister,A.K. Antony said that journalism is facing a decline and stressed the need for value-based media practice.

He was speaking after presenting the Shobha Shekhar Media Awards, jointly instituted by the Thiruvananthapuram Press Club and the Shobha Shekhar Memorial Family Trust.

Antony said more women must come forward to take up journalism as a profession and contribute to strengthening the fourth estate.

Press Club President P.R. Praveen presided over the function, while the felicitation meeting was inaugurated by cultural activist Surya Krishnamoorthy. Shobha Shekhar Family Trust chairman V. Somashekharan Nadar, veteran journalists Mangad Radhanakaran, M.P. Basheer, T. Shashimohan, Dr. Babu Gopalakrishnan, and IGT Director P.V. Murukan also spoke. Press Club Secretary M. Radhakrishnan delivered the welcome address.

The 2023 Shobha Shekhar Award winner, Rajani Varrier of Asianet News, and the 2024 recipient, Fousiya Mustafa, delivered response speeches, sharing their perspectives on the profession and challenges faced by women journalists.

The award carries a cash prize of ₹25,001, along with a memento and a citation.