International award for journalist

Asha Krishnakumar, Special Correspondent, Frontline, has won the prestigious 2002 Lorenzo Natali Prize for Journalism: Excellence in Reporting Human Rights, Democracy and Development for the Asia and the Pacific category, awarded by the European Commission (EC) and administered by the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) for her cover story "Weavers in distress" (Frontline, April 27, 2001) and follow-up report "For the weavers" (Frontline, July 6, 2001). The Lorenzo Natali Prize, comprising a cash award of 10,000 Euros and a trophy, was presented to Asha in a ceremony held in Brussels on November 15.

Asha Krishnakumar's prize winning articles focussed on the large number of starvation and suicide deaths that were prevalent among Andhra Pradesh's traditional weavers in Karimnagar and Medak districts since 1997 and the issues surrounding their impoverished situation. The Andhra Pradesh government subsequently unveiled a series of welfare measures to help those affected. Commenting on her work, the jury report stated: "Asha Krishnakumar's `Weavers in distress' is an excellent piece of journalism with a good background of the economic history of an area where weaving has been the basis of survival for many families. The story of the crisis that forced many to commit suicide, mingled with indifference of the authorities, had a strong political impact, pushing the Government to announce new measures to help handloom weavers and put an end to their desperate deaths. `Weavers in Distress' is also a story of flawed economic choices and the negative aspects of globalisation, where the weakest suffer the most. The account of many desperate deaths is a very moving part of this long and well-documented feature article. The `North' should take notice."

After a doctorate in Economics, Asha Krishnakumar joined Frontline in 1991 and has written over 400 articles on topics such as socio-economic development, world trade, the environment, biotechnology, biodiversity, global warming, health and issues concerning women and children. She was also part of a Frontline team that was responsible for a report on starvation deaths among Andhra Pradesh handloom weavers in 1991 (Frontline, December 6, 1991), which was later discussed in Parliament.

Asha Krishnakumar's stories were chosen from 243 entries received from more than 80 countries. The Lorenzo Natali Prize, established in 1992, is awarded to print and online journalists "who have demonstrated a striking insight and particular dedication to the reporting of human rights issues within the context of development." The prize is awarded annually to one journalist from each of the five regional categories Asia and the Pacific, Africa, Europe, North Africa and the Middle East and Latin America and the Middle East. The previous Indian winner of the Lorenzo Natali Prize was P. Sainath. He won it in 1994 for articles related to development and poverty of vulnerable social groups.