An Indian journalist has spent two weeks at 天美传媒 after winning the Journalist of Change award.
The award, part of BU鈥檚 Connect India global outreach arm, recognised excellence in journalism that inspires social change.
Snigdha Poonam won the 2017 award for anabout young students taking their lives while studying for a competitive exam聽in the city of Kota.
鈥淭he fact that the competition was looking at journalism of change attracted me, because very few other awards do. There was also the opportunity to come here and interact with students and academics and to see the wider culture of the university,鈥� said Snigdha, who now works for the Hindustan Times.
聽鈥淚t felt amazing to win, especially because it must have been so hard to choose just one entry because the shortlisted entries were all pieces of brave journalism and I admired all of them.
鈥淚 feel like this is a topic that is so disturbing 鈥� every year so many students commit suicide in this particular town in India where thousands show up every year to prepare for what must be the world鈥檚 toughest most competitive exams. The conditions in which they are made to prepare for this one exam are just extraordinary.鈥�
Snigdha spent two weeks in Bournemouth as part of her prize, with a programme of activity that included meeting with BU students and lecturers and participating in sessions covering everything from investigative journalism to gender and sexuality, as well as sharing聽her own work.
She said: 鈥淭his was my first time in Bournemouth and the university is a very vibrant space and I feel like I鈥檝e met so many kinds of people.
鈥淚鈥檝e spoken about my work, my book and my journalism, which has been very interesting because I usually talk to people about my work who know a lot about India.聽
鈥淭here was so much curiosity from the students and the general audience here about what鈥檚 going on in India and what it means for the future of India and the world.
鈥淪o I did a bit of speaking, but I鈥檝e also done a bit of listening, so that鈥檚 been really amazing.鈥�
Snigdha added that she鈥檇 enjoyed spending time in Bournemouth 鈥� snow and all.
鈥淏ournemouth itself is beautiful and I鈥檝e really used the opportunity to be in the town and do Bournemouth things and spend time on the beach walking and reading. I鈥檝e eaten a lot of fish and chips!
鈥淥ne morning I woke up and there was sea in front of me surrounded by snow - I don鈥檛 think that鈥檚 a sight that I鈥檓 going to forget!
鈥淏etween the campus and the town, it鈥檚 been a very vibrant experience and a good fortnight well spent.鈥�
