Alka Dhupkar
I am a Mumbai-based multimedia journalist with over 19 years of experience and currently serve as an assistant editor at TOI+. I cover in-depth reports on gender, environment, caste, rural development, agriculture, urban infrastructure, politics and social policies. My ongoing PhD focuses on the assassinations of rationalists and their consequences for Indian democracy.RECOGNITION
Ramnath Goenka Excellence In Journalism, 2014
Chameli Devi Jain Outstanding woman Journalist Of The Year, 2012-13
UNFPA-Laadli Gender Sensitivity Media Awardee 2012, 2013
Asia Journalism Fellow, 2015
Work
How it started... How's it going...
I began reporting from Sindhudurg on India's western coast in 1999. Moving to Pune for higher education exposed me to a vibrant civil society and news culture. In the next five years, I managed the edit page of a marathi tabloid (Aapla Mahanagar), coordinated news flow between the head office and rural bureaus at two broadsheets (Sakal and Tarun Bharat), and had my first stint at an English tabloid.In 2007, I began my longest stint to date, as I joined a television newsroom (IBN Lokmat) in Mumbai as News Editor. I hosted shows, did reportage, and led a team of reporters there.I ventured into the English press in 2015, with urban reporting for the Mumbai Mirror. Eight years and counting, I am very much a part of the digital English journalism landscape in India. As a part of a team (TOI+) under India's biggest news house (The Times of India), the size of the audience I reach now is phenomenal.Beyond news writing…In the last decade, India saw brutal killings of rationalists. But the reporting was scattered and mostly present in text form. Me and some of my friends with the help of well-wishers built a small team and conceptualized an open exhibit named We Are On Trial.
It portrayed the legacy of Narendra Dabholkar, one of the victims of the organised killings.Notable stories & testimonials
About
Raised in an orthodox family, I navigated my way to claim my independence. It was a long journey of ups and downs, mistakes and learning, and a bit of unlearning. On the one hand, I was fighting the invisible discrimination as a non-English speaking female journalist. On another, a medical history of psoriasis and a rural background were inhibiting my self confidence.Over years, I can now say that there's some credibility associated with my work. Some of my organisational work may veer into activism, but I consider myself a journalist, and believe that
there is a thin line between the two.In the polarized, post truth environment, I strongly feel that it is my duty to bring facts out in the open fearlessly, consistently and relentlessly. To be able to do so, I keep finding innovative ways, and that keeps me going!In my association with a psoriasis patients' advocacy group (DakshamA Health and Education), we act as a sounding board to the voices of psoriasis patients. We engage with policymakers on the wellbeing of patients, the hurdles they face in insurance, availability of medicine, and counselling.
Contact
For collaborations, tips, organisational assistance, research
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