Indian Journalists who lost lives in conflict-reporting

Journalism is one of the most thankless professions in India, a country that stands third for being the "most unsafe" for journalists. However, it is the courage and the determination of our country's people that make them bring fair and real-time coverage of tense situations, wars and conflict zones in general. Today, on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day, we are remembering a few of the many journalists who lost their lives in the conflict-reporting. 

Danish Siddiqui

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The Reuters photojournalist, Danish Siddiqui lost his life in covering the Afganistan-Taliban conflict in Spin Boldak, Kandahar in 2021 when he was covering the war and was, hit by shrapnel in the arm. He was from Jamia Millia Islamia in Delhi and also had previously worked for Hindustan Times and India Today. However, after realising his interest in photojournalism, he joined Reuters. He was recognised for his coverage of the Battle of Mosul, the 2015 Nepal earthquake, the Rohingya refugee crisis, and the 2020 Delhi riots which also got him the Pulitzer Prize in 2018. He was awarded the prize posthumously in 2022 for his images of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Santanu Bhowmick

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Santanu Bhowmick was a journalist who worked for the 'Din Raat' news channel that operates in Bengali from Agartala. Bhowmick, who used to cover political events was beaten to death when he was covering the road blockade by the Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT). Reportedly, the blockade had turned violent leading to the incident. As per reports, he was brutally attacked with sharp weapons even after identifying himself as a journalist to the mob.  

Najmul Hasan

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Najmul Hasan was a Reuters journalist who was covering the Iran-Iraq war in August 1983. It had only been three days when the 37-year-old was killed in a landmine explosion. He had joined a party of journalists to tour the war front in Western Iran. While he had earlier worked with Hindustan Times, he was popular for covering stories about the Soviet intervention in Afghanistan, the presidential elections in Sri Lanka and also about the political turmoil in Nepal, Assam and Bangladesh. 

Priya Ramrakha

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Priya Ramrakha was a photojournalist who was covering a war in Africa in 1968 for the international news magazine names Time and Life when a crossfire between Nigerian soldiers and Biafran rebels killed him. He was only a 33-year-old of Indian origin who belonged to an activist family of journalists. He covered several political and military movements across Africa. Even a documentary named, African Lens was released by the journalist in 2007. Many pictures of him were published in the book Priya Ramrakha: The Recovered Archive. Ramrakha is also believed to have chronicled the anti-colonial and post-colonial struggles across Africa. 

With inputs from Global Indian, India Times, The Indian Express.