Doha: O Radhika, a Malayalam journalist who wrote a series of news reports on children in conflict with the law, was presented with Aboobaker Karakkunnu Journalism Award.
In an event held in Skills Development Centre, New Salata, Aljazeera Public Liberties and Human Rights Centre Director Sami Alhaj handed the plaque and prize money to the winner.
Sami Alhaj, a journalist himself and was falsely held for six years in Guantanamo Bay detainment camp run by the United States, reminisced his student days in Pune in India. “I always tell my children about those days. I lived there like I lived in a family,” he said.
Qatar Indian Islahi Centre President KN Sulaiman Madani inaugurated the event.
Aboobaker Kaakkunnu was a man of extensive reading and deep thoughts, he recalled. “We were in the same batch in college.
Aboobaker Karakkunnu was a visionary leader, dreamer and a lifelong learner who established and led various educational, media, social ventures in his short, but eventful life. Having graduated in Arabic literature and Islamic studies, Karakkunnu, rose to become the editor of Shabab Weekly, a religious yet current affairs magazine in Kerala, India.
Later, he branched out his mission to a wide spectrum of activities. He wrote columns, authored books, ran a struggling newspaper. All along, he has been an orphan-care worker, teacher and organiser. Heavy activities took a toll on the health of Karakkunnu, who succumbed to lung cancer in February 2011, at the age of 46.” Madani said.
Ashraf Thoonery, the president of Aboobaker Karakkunnu Foundation, chaired the event.
Kerala Union of Working Journalists president Kamal Varadoor, KMCC Qatar secretary Abdunnasar Nachi, OICC global general-secretary KK Usman, Indian Islahi Centre general secretary Shameer Valiyaveettil, Indian Media Forum secretary Omanakkuttan and Jaffer Thayyil, Abdul Naseer Panoor spoke.
Aboobaker Karakkunnu Foundation general-secretary Shahul Hameed welcomed the gathering, and treasurer A Faseeh Ali expressed vote of thanks.
