Vartika Nanda

Vartika Nanda is Indian prison reformer and media educator. She is the founder of Tinka Tinka, a movement targeted towards prison reforms. She has received the Stree Shakti Puraskar award from the President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee, the highest civilian honour for women in India on women empowerment. It was conferred to her on International Women's Day 2014 in Rashtrapati Bhavan in recognition of her contribution towards creating awareness about women's issues through media and literature. Her novel work in the field of prison reforms has been recognized by the Limca Book of Records twice.[1]

Dr Vartika Nanda
Vartika Nanda receiving the Stree Shakti Puraskar from the President of India
Born
Punjab
NationalityIndian
OccupationPrison reformer, media educator and trainer, author

She is the Head of Department for Journalism at Lady Shri Ram College in Delhi University. Formerly, she had been the first Executive Producer of Lok Sabha TV. She began her career as a reporter in Zee India. Later on, she became the head of crime beat in NDTV. She is credited to be the first female crime reporter on electronic media in India.

Professional experience

With a doctorate in Journalism on the issues of coverage of rape cases by Indian print media, she is currently the head of the Department of Journalism in Lady Shri Ram College of Delhi University. She has taught TV journalism at Indian Institute of Mass Communication, New Delhi as Associate Professor for three years in the past.[2] She has held various journalistic assignments in electronic media including Zee News, NDTV and Lok Sabha TV. Vartika was the First Executive Producer of Lok Sabha TV and played an instrumental role in the conception, setting up and running of the channel.

She was conferred the Stri Shakti Puraskar, 2013 (Rani Gaidinliu Zeliang Award) by the Hon'ble President of India, Pranab Mukherjee in Rashtrapati Bhawan in 2014.[3] This award was given in recognition for her contribution in creating awareness on women's issues through media and literature.

Work as researcher and educator

Her research areas include prisons, relationship between police, crime and the persecution of victims, gender reporting and portrayal of women in media. She also specializes in imparting training on crisis communication. In 2017 her book Television aur Crime Reporting, published by Rajkamal Prakashan, was given the Bhartendu Harish Chandra Award by the Information & Broadcasting Ministry in 2007. Testimony by Hon'ble Harivansh:[4]

Work as prison reformer

Vartika Nanda is a crusader on prison reforms and the first Indian academician to have started a continuous project solely on prison reforms. She is the founder of Tinka Tinka - a unique series to bring change in the lives of the jail inmates.[5] Vartika Nanda is credited to have curated and created the concept of awards for inmates and prison staff for the first time in India. Two awards exclusively for inmates - Tinka Tinka India Awards and Tinka Tinka Bandini Awards have been instituted by her as part of the effort. Her name has been included in the Limca Book of Records twice for her unique work on prison reforms. Hindustan Times on Prison Reforms:[1][6] Indian Express:[7]

Prison Radio: She is credited for starting prison radio in Haryana. Launched in 2021, Panipat Jail Radio is the first prison radio of the state, followed by District Jail, Faridabad. Prior to this, she had launched prison radio in District Jail, Agra which has helped immensely, especially during Covid 19. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/hry-starts-in-house-radio-stations-for-jails/articleshow/80064998.cms https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/panipat-jail-to-become-first-in-haryana-to-have-in-house-radio-station-101610972907685.html

2018: Tinka India Awards: Indian Express:[7]

Advisor or member
  • 2016: Nominated as a member of the Council of MNREGA, Ministry of Rural Development
  • 2016: Expert on the Evaluation Committee as a member for DD-URDU Channel
  • 2013: Co-opted on the expert committee on Prasar Bharti constituted by the Government of India under the chairmanship of Sam Pitroda
  • 2013: Sole outside expert for the Programme Committee under the chairmanship of DG, Doordarshan to evaluate and examine the feasibility of the proposal titled ‘ 100 years of Indian Cinema’
  • 2013 and 2014: In the advisory panel of Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India
  • 2013: Media Consultant and moderator for Ahimsa Messenger Programme launched by Sonia Gandhi in Aug 2013. This initiative was aimed at empowering women against violence
  • 2013: Member, Media & Communication Committee for AICTE
  • 2010: On the boards of various academic institutions including NCERT (Text Book Committee on Media Studies)
  • 2013: Media Advisor to the Crime against Women Cell of Delhi Police
  • 2012 and 2011: Member of the committee to select Media Consultants and Research Assistants for the Ministry of Women and Child Development

She is the editor of Gaon ki Selfie, a periodical dedicated to developmental communication, along with well known bureaucrat Rashmi Singh. She is also the honorary editor of "Media Dunia", a section dedicated to news media industry views and analysis, run by Web Dunia. Web Dunia has the distinction of being the first Hindi web portal in the world.[8]

Her association with television news started at the age of twelve as the youngest television anchor in Asia. Her association with print journalism began with her engagement as Associate Editor with a quarterly journal on media, Communication Today. She continues to oversee the journal. As a regular columnist, she contributed for over two years to The Pioneer and Hindi Outlook till 2007.[9]

Awards
  • 2014: The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee conferred the Stree Shakti Puraskar, 2013 Rani Gaidinliu Zeliang Award) to her on International Women's Day at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on 8 March 2014. This award was given in recognition for her contribution in creating awareness on women's issues through media and literature. These awards, instituted in 1991, are given to six women every year.[10]
  • 2015: Included in the Limca Book of Records, 2015, her book, Tinka Tinka Tihar (co-authored with Vimla Mehra, IPS, former DG, Delhi Prisons) is the first book of collection of poems written by selected women inmates of Tihar Jail.
  • 2015: The song, Tinka Tinka Tihar, conceptualized, scripted and directed by Vartika Nanda, entered into the Limca Book of Records in 2017. This is a unique musical video showcasing the musical wealth of Tihar inmates. This film was released in the Parliament House Chamber by Smt Sumitra Mahajan, Hon’ble Speaker, Lok Sabha in May 2015. For the first time, a film of this kind was shot inside any prison in India. https://www.hindustantimes.com/delhi-news/tihar-jail-inmates-song-tinka-tinka-tihar-makes-it-to-limca-book-of-records/story-19F4uXQpivAbNoRCcFJG6L.html
  • 2007: Recipient of the Bharatendu Harishchandra Award for 2005 for the book Television aur Apradh Patrakaarita, published by the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, New Delhi. Instituted by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in 1983, these awards are given to promote original writings in Hindi on journalism and mass communication.[11][12]

Publications
  • Tinka Tinka Madhya Pradesh, a unique mini coffee table book of its kind representing the life inside prisons with 12 male, 2 female inmates along with 4 children living in prisons and a Prahari.[13] This book was released by Shri Kiren Rijuji, then MOS Home, Government of India. https://khabar.ndtv.com/news/literature/release-of-first-coffee-table-book-tinka-tinka-madhya-pradesh-on-creativity-in-prisons-1946323
  • Tinka Tinka Dasna, first ever reporting of its kind on jail life. Published in both English and Hindi, the English book has been translated by Dr Nupur Talwar. This book deals with the lives of those who are on life imprisonment.[14][15]
  • Raniyan Sab Janti Hain, the first book with poems dedicated of victims and survivors of different crimes, 2015; rated amongst top 5 books by Femina
  • Tinka Tinka Tihar, co-authored with Vimlaa Mehra, IPS, first book of collection of poems written by selected women inmates of Tihar Jail; published by Rajkamal Prakashan; released by the then Hon'ble Minister of Home Affairs, Shri Sushil Kumar Shinde at the APPCA Conference in Vigyan Bhawan in September 2013,[16][17] 15th edition[18]
  • Thee. Hoon..Rahungi, first book of collection of poems in India revolving around the issue of crime against women, published by Rajkamal Prakashan, 2011[19][20]
  • Marjaanee, compilation of poetry, published by Rajkamal Prakashan, 2011[21]
  • Television aur Crime Reporting, published by Rajkamal Prakashan, 2010[22]
  • Co-authored a book titled Media aur Jansamvad, published by Samayik Prakashan, 2009
  • Television aur Apraadh Patrakarita, published by IIMC, 2006
  • Madhur Dastak, compilation of poetry in Hindi, 1989

References
  1. "Tihar jail inmates' song Tinka Tinka Tihar makes it to Limca Book of Records". www.hindustantimes.com. 5 April 2017.
  2. "CWT - Vartika Nanda - HJ, Delhi - 1993-94 Batch #CampusWaleTeachers". linkedin.com. 6 February 2017. Retrieved 7 January 2018.
  3. "Press Information Bureau Photo Gallery". pib.nic.in. Retrieved 7 January 2018.
  4. "Television Aur Crime Reporting - टेलीविज़न मीडिया - Television Media - संचार मीडिया - Communication and Media Studies - All Publications". rajkamalprakashan.com.
  5. https://www.hindustantimes.com/analysis/prisons-must-do-more-to-help-their-women-inmates/story-nNUzVSaUjaNjyNnUIe5spN.html
  6. "2016 – Tinka Tinka Prison Reforms". tinkatinkaprisonreforms.org. Retrieved 7 January 2018.
  7. "Tinka Tinka India Award: Murder convict feted for contribution to Burail jail kitchen". 11 December 2018.
  8. WD. "मीडिया दुनिया का जिम्मा संभालेंगी वर्तिका नंदा". WebDunia.com. Retrieved 7 January 2018.
  9. ndint. "The Hindu : Babus wanna byte". www.Hindu.com. Retrieved 7 January 2018.
  10. http://presidentofindia.nic.in/pr080314.html
  11. "PIB Press Release". PIB.nic.in. Retrieved 7 January 2018.
  12. Darpan, Pratiyogita (1 October 2007). "Pratiyogita Darpan". Pratiyogita Darpan. Retrieved 7 January 2018 – via Google Books.
  13. tinkatinkaprisonreforms. "2018: Tinka Tinka Madhya Pradesh" – via YouTube.
  14. Nanda, Dr Vartika (7 January 2018). Tinka Tinka Dasna. ASIN 9352657306.
  15. Vartika Nanda (16 September 2016). "TInka Tinka Dasna: Book: Vartika Nanda". Retrieved 7 January 2018 – via YouTube.
  16. "महिला कैदियों ने लिखा 'तिनका-तिनका तिहाड़'- Amarujala". Amarujala.com. Retrieved 7 January 2018.
  17. "Jansatta Jansatta epaper dated Mon, 30 Dec 13". Jansatta.com. Retrieved 7 January 2018.
  18. "Vartika Nanda at a musical day for women prisoners in Tihar - Times of India". IndiaTimes.com. Retrieved 7 January 2018.
  20. Chopra, Akshat (16 August 2012). "She was, she is". Retrieved 7 January 2018 – via www.TheHindu.com.
  22. "Rajkamal Prakashan Group". www.rajkamalprakashan.com.
  • Vartika Nanda in Limca Book of Records: Hindustan Times
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