Three Northeast Journalists Honored at Shillong Media Conclave

Agartala: Three journalists from Northeast India earned awards for field reporting at the inaugural Hill Myna Media Conclave. The event took place October 7 at the Moreau Institute of Integral Training and Research Society in Shillong, Meghalaya. India Today NE journalist Tanmoy Chakraborty joined two other recipients recognized for their contributions to the craft.

The conclave focused on on-ground reporting. It drew media professionals, government officials, and students. Speakers Soma Basu, Michaeljit Yumnam, and Imkonglemba Ao debated the necessity of local context and verification. They argued that relying on phone calls or third parties fails the public. Reporters must see the ground for themselves. Basu, Senior Deputy Editor at The Hindu, noted that verified data matters. "Commitment to authenticity is a basic requirement for every journalist, and this authenticity comes from ground reporting," she said.

Deputy Commissioner of East Khasi Hills, Abhilash Baranwal, served as the chief guest. He addressed the media's duty to provide facts over convenience. "The responsibility of journalism is not simply to tell us what we want to hear, but to tell us what we need to know," he stated. The program included a discussion titled The Room Speaks and presented the Northeast Writers Award 2026.

Hill Myna Magazine organized the day. Director Lakshmi Kharkongor said the event aims to foster regional storytelling. It provides a platform to dissect the specific challenges of covering the Northeast. The conclave successfully highlighted the demand for credibility in modern news.