Meena Kotwal, Editor-in-Chief of The Mooknayak, Featured on Voice of America for Advocating for Marginalized Communities in Journalism

Voice of America has praised the work of The Mooknayak, a New Delhi based online news platform dedicated to the cause of serving the marginalized sections of society. The platform's name is inspired from 'Mooknayak', the newspaper founded by Babasaheb Bhim Rao Ambedkar in 1920, which itself aimed to be the voice of those who had been silenced for centuries. The newspaper, which still upholds Babasaheb's ideals today, is a symbol of resistance against a media industry that is casteist and male-dominated. Despite these challenges, The Mooknayak is led by a woman, from a marginalized community, who holds the top position in the organization.

After The New York Times, The Voice of America has now highlighted the exemplary work of Meena Kotwal, the Founder and Editor -in-Chief  of The Mooknayak, in a documentary. The film chronicles Kotwal's journey to her current role. Hailing from a Dalit family, Kotwal has not only made a place for herself in the media, but she also provides an alternative platform for those who have been pushed to the fringes of society.

Journalism was once a respected profession, but in today's world, certain TV journalists have tarnished its image through shallow and sensationalized reporting. Thus, "The Mooknayak" came into being as a platform from which to address real issues, rather than the superficial ones that dominate current media.

Kotwal believes that only those who have experienced suffering can truly understand the pain of others. Therefore, it is the responsibility of those who have been silenced to speak out and reveal the harsh realities of our society.

The documentary captures the richness of The Mooknayak's journalistic journey, despite the struggles that the publication has faced over the years. It shows that when people have been silenced for so long, they have endless stories to tell. The role of journalists is not to remain impartial, but rather to find and report the truth, no matter how difficult or dangerous.