Sunanda, Vineetha first Sri Lankan journalists to win Laadli Awards
COLOMBO – Acclaimed media trailblazer Sunanada Damayanthi Hettiarachchi and award-winning senior print journalist Vineetha Gamage did Sri Lanka proud, becoming the first women journalists from the country to win the prestigious South Asia Laadli Media and Advertising Awards for Gender Sensitivity 2023.
The Awards, which recognized 47 stellar contributions in the media space across the six South Asian nations and India, were presented at a grand ceremony in Mumbai, India, on Tuesday (12).
Sunanda Hettiarachchi, former head of Channel Eye television and member of the South Asia Women in Media (SAWM) Sri Lanka chapter, has championed feminist perspectives within national broadcasting over her pioneering 38-year career. As a producer, presenter, and executive, she has helmed groundbreaking Sinhala programming that spotlights women’s narratives and forges spaces for inclusive dialogues across mediums.
Vineetha Gamage, Assistant News Editor of the Sinhala language Mawbima newspaper, has passionately uplifted the narratives of marginalized communities over her three-decade career marked by compassionate storytelling and taboo-smashing reporting from a feminist lens. Her work continues to pave the way for inclusive, progressive journalism across mediums.
The South Asia Laadli Media and Advertising Awards for Gender Sensitivity (SALMAAGS), which is in its third edition this year, celebrate the media’s role in shaping perceptions towards gender, aiming for a fairer society. Apart from India, the award covers Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh and Maldives.
An initiative of Population First, a Mumbai-based social impact organization that has been working for the past two decades to promote gender sensitivity in media nationwide, Award 2023 supported by UNFPA with Asian Federation of Advertising Associations and South Asian Women in Media as collaborating partners.
“These awards aim to recognize and celebrate 15 exceptional media professionals nationwide and honour 11 outstanding journalists from South Asia from Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Maldives,” said CEO Population First Dr A. L. Sharada, in a statement issued by the organizers, adding that the wards are also a way of acknowledging the significant contribution of content creators across literature, advertising, films, and OTT platforms.
Laaldi 2023 Awards also shone the spotlight on exceptional women who have made significant strides in their respective fields, with special awards that included the ‘Laadli of the Century,’ Awarded to Vimla Patil, the trailblazing editor of Femina, who pioneered the Femina Miss India pageant, using it to advocate for women’s rights and challenge societal norms; ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ to celebrated writer, filmmaker and producer. Aruna Rajé Patil for a strong women-centric themed body of work highlighting gender-just and gender-equal relationships based on mutual love and respect; and ‘Women Behind the Scene’ Konkana Sen Sharma for her remarkable journey as an actor and filmmaker, which stands as a testament to inherited talent and individual brilliance.
This year’s awardees included Network of Women in Media, India (NWMI) – the forum for women in the media profession to share information and resources, exchange ideas, promote media awareness and ethics, and work for gender equality and justice; Women in Cinema Collective who are fighting for a more equitable and considerate workspace for female artists, the mini-series Sweet Kaaram Coffee and the feature film Sirf Ek Band Kaafi Hai.
Well-known actor Rasika Dugal chaired the ceremony with the Country Representative for UNFPA India and Country Director for Bhutan Andrea Wojnar as the guest of honour.
“Media plays a critical role in addressing discriminatory social norms, shaping popular perceptions on gender roles and identities, and challenging stereotypes,” Wojnar is quoted as saying in the statement,, adding that UNFPA India was proud to partner with Population First for engaging diverse media to create an environment where women and girls are respected and valued.
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