THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The New Indian Express Principal News Photographer BP Deepu won the first prize in the 'Best Photograph' category for his picture titled 'Between Sea and Peril' at the Press Institute of India, Chennai -International Committee of the Red Cross (PII-ICRC), annual awards. The awards were presented at an event held at the India International Centre in New Delhi on Friday.
The theme of the 16th edition of the awards was 'Covering Climate Change: Humanitarian Crisis in Focus'. Accepting the award, Deepu said the photograph depicted the agony of the people of his native village Anchuthengu ravaged by frequent coastal erosion.
The second and third prize winners in the Best Photograph category were: Muralikrishnan, Chief Photographer, Mathrubhumi and Prashant Kharote, Photojournalist, Lokmat Times. The winners of the three special mention prizes for best photograph were: Sathiyaseelan, freelance photographer, Lokmat Times; E.V. Ragesh, Chief News Photographer, Mathrubhumi; and Vishnu Nair, Senior Photographer, Malayala Manorama.
In the best article category, the first, second and third prizes went to freelance journalists Aishwarya Mohanty, Parth MN and Mridula Chari respectively. The three journalists in the Special Mention category for Best Article were Sibi Arasu, freelance journalist; AK Sreejith, Staff Correspondent, Mathrubhumi Daily; and Ishan Kukreti, freelance journalist.
While cash prizes were awarded to the first, second, and third-place winners, certificates and trophies were presented to the special awardees.