Awaz–The Voice Turns Five: Journalism That Brings India Together

The strongest asset of India—India’s real superpower—lies in its religious beliefs and the quality of the people encouraged by these beliefs. Indian religion over the centuries was not just an object of belief; it was an instrument of navigation too. This is the real pluralism embedded in the Indian psyche; this is the real essence of the idea of India. This pluralism has endured Indian history of turbulence, transformation, and change.

Awaz-The Voice was launched based on a belief that this complex soul of India deserves to be represented accurately, thoughtfully, and in a balanced manner. In an environment that is increasingly splintering mainstream contemporary media around divisions and confrontations and outrage, we engaged in a different kind of journalism—from dialogue,from dignity and mutual respect. We began with not discussing those that divide Indians from each other; we talk of Indians as bonded to each other.

India’s composite culture did not come into existence in a vacuum. It is a mixture of Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism, Buddhism, Jainism, Christianity, etc., which developed concurrently, influencing each other, blending with the larger stream of Indianness. There may be variations of opinion, faith, and perceptions, but the underlying principle which has united the people of India over the centuries remains humanitarian. It is, therefore, important to realize this, particularly during the era of rapid digital revolutions.

It remains to be seen whether the past decade's level of communal polarisation will continue to intensify with the help of digital media platforms into the next decade as well. There does seem to be some indications that people are starting to reflect and rethink their deep-seated prejudices against members of another community and that even new-age technologies such as Artificial Intelligence may come to play some role in this sphere as well to promote greater equity.

In the midst of these changes, Indian societies are moving forward. The importance of education, skills, rising ambitions, and a renewed focus on women’s empowerment have created fresh opportunities for development and representation. Awaz–The Voice has tried to capture these changes through its projects like Muslim Changemakers and soon to launch PARVAAZ, spotlighting the accomplishments of Indian Muslim women.

On the occasion of the fulfillment of the milestone of the fifth anniversary, the teams of Awaz – The Voice, in English, Hindi, Urdu, Assamese, Marathi, Bangla, and Arabic, reaffirm their commitment towards first-rate journalism driven by a spirit of inclusiveness, integrity, and the timelessness of the idea of India. On the occasion, we express our sincere thanks to the readers, viewers, and well-wishers who have chosen to share this intellectual odyssey

Five years later, our mission still endures. We tell India’s stories in ways that bring Indians closer together, not further apart.

• Atir Khan

Source: Awaz The Voice – Original Article