Name of Fellow: Sanjay verma
Genre: Journalism
Area of Work: Jharkhand
Sanjay Verma is senior journalist based out of Ranchi. He is an expert in naxal matters in Jharkhand and extensively covers social movements against land alienation of tribals, environment and tribal rights.
After graduating in 1996, Sanjay Verma got in touch with veteran journalist Kishlay in Ranchi. At that time, with the journalist, he was working as a cameraperson for a World Bank funded programme. He used to make documentaries under the programme. During this time, he used to travel extensively to rural areas in Jharkhand.
He witnessed the living conditions of the people, and the poverty they were going through. The experience made him feel sorrow for the people and he also felt that for the poor communities neither the political parties nor others were doing enough to change their lives. This connection with the people brought him closure to the issues faced by the people. So, he decided to highlight their problem and found out that journalism was a mean to bring out those stories from rural areas.
He consulted with his mentor about doing journalism and joined Ranchi University for a master’s programme in journalism. From 1996, he started doing full-fledged journalism after completing his masters.
Initially he joined Ranchi Express’ (a popular daily then) Drishti video magazine as reporter and cameraperson and simultaneously contributed to the daily as well till 2001. He then joined Jain TV in and continued there for three years. From 2005 to 2018 he was the bureau chief of national news television Taza TV. Since 2018 he started his journey of independent journalism and founded TazaKhabar.com.
His vision of journalism is that journalism is meant for servicing the people and help them get justice. His work is focused on rural areas and tribal rights. These people are the ones about whom the governments allocate funds but they seldom get proper benefits. So, he devoted his career covering the issues of marginal, poverty stricken and tribal communities.
His work is not just to report the issue, he aims to get the people justice through his journalism. As part of his journalism, he also mobilizes communities. He is also associated with legal forums to provide free legal assistance to people and social service groups to mobilise the people.
Based on his reporting on Dhajwa hills in Palamu district about illegal stone mining people started a movement there and filed a case against the occupants at National Green Tribunal. He found out that the lease for mining was allotted for some other land, but the company was mining the Dhajwa hills. He exposed the matter and took the issue to the people and a legal service providing initiative. After the expose, people from the area protested for three months forcing the company leave the site.
Sanjay covers stories of rights violations and violation of Constitutional values for his website regularly. His initiative to cover such stories will continue during the fellowship programme.
For his outstanding photography, the Tourism Department of Jharkhand government awarded him the best photographer’s award. He envisages to pursue people centric journalism and continue to highlight the issues of the poor and tribal communities.