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Dhanya Rajendran,Co-founder and Editor-in-Chief of The News Minute, has been selected for the prestigious Prof. Maxwell Fernandes Journalism Award. She is being honoured for building The News Minute into a bold and independent news platform that effectively harnesses new media technologies.
The award was instituted in memory of Professor Maxwell Fernandes, the founding head of the Department of Communication and Journalism at the University of Kerala. It is jointly presented by his family and the MCJ Alumni Association.
The award ceremony will be held at 2 PM on August 4 at the University of Kerala’s Kariavattom campus.
Hailing from Palakkad, Dhanya Rajendran has been a journalist for over 22 years, with more than a decade spent reporting from all five southern states—Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana. A graduate of the Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), Chennai, she previously served as the South India Bureau Chief for Times Now, where she led coverage across the region.
In 2014, she co-founded The News Minute with veteran journalist Chitra Subramaniam and Vignesh Vellore. In less than five years, TNM grew into a respected source of in-depth and incisive journalism from South India, becoming known for its comprehensive coverage of critical regional stories and sharp digital reporting.
Over the years, Dhanya has received several prestigious recognitions, including the Chameli Devi Jain Award for Outstanding Women Mediapersons and the Red Ink Journalist of the Year Award. She currently serves as the Chairperson of DIGIPUB News India Foundation, a collective of independent digital media platforms in India.
The award winner was selected by a jury comprising prominent journalists and alumni of the Communication and Journalism department—S. Radhakrishnan, SD Prince, KR Beena, Jo Joseph Thayankari, and B Sreejan. The selection was announced by Priyadas Mangalath (Working President) and Jo Joseph Thayankari (Secretary) of the foundation.