Dilip Paudel awarded Barbara Adams Investigative Journalism Award 2017

Journalist Dilip Paudel of Nagarik Daily was awarded the Barbara Adams Investigative Journalism Award 2017 on Tuesday, April 24, 2018.

Former President Dr. Ram Baran Yadav handed over the award amid a function organised by the Barbara Foundation at Nepal Tourism Board Hall in Kathmandu on the occasion of Loktantra Divas and the birth anniversary of the late Barbara Adams.

Meanwhile, journalist Kalpana Bhattarai was awarded “Honourable Mention” award for her investigative article on the involvement of criminal gangsters in crusher industry.

Bhattarai became the first winner of the award category introduced this year to honour one of the top five finalists. The “Honourable Mention” award carries a purse of Rs 10,001.

Barbara Foundation’s Vice-President Dr. Chandra Prasad Pokharel announced in the program that Paudel was picked by an independent jury from among 45 applicants.

Paudel was selected for his series of reports exposing the corruption involving the leadership of the Nepal Oil Corporation.

Top five reports were selected from ten shortlisted reports from the entire applications. Those reports are Paudel’s report; series of reports on NCELL tax scam by Krishna Acharya of Kantipur Daily; report on irregularities and misuse in the purchase of vehicles by the officials of the constitutional bodies by Rameshwor Bohara of Himal Khabarpatrika; report on copyright violations and plagiarism in medical sector in Nepal by Nagarik Daily’s Bishnu Prasad Aryal; and, Kalpana Bhattarai’s report.

The late Barbara Adams had instituted the award with the endowment fund of Rupees Ten lakhs (US $ 10,000) in order to promote investigative journalism, and through it, good governance and democratic norms and values in the Nepali society.

Speaking after receiving the award, Paudel said that he felt that his investigative reports were results of months of continuous and undeterred efforts. He said that the award had made him feel more responsible as a journalist, and that it had encouraged him to work harder.

Surendra Poudel, correspondent of the Nagarik Daily, became the first recipient of the award in 2014. Krishna Gyawali, correspondent of the Kantipur Daily, was awarded the Award’s second edition in 2016.