Chairperson: Dr Jaya Sreedhar, Media Health Consultant , Writer and Former Censor Board Member
Co Chair : Mr R Venkatesh, Editor, Dinamalar Pattam

Alongside research and rehabilitation, SCARF is deeply committed to raise awareness and sensitize the general public about mental health and related issues, through various means and methods. Besides organizing events which allow people from different walks of life to know and understand mental health related issues, SCARF encourages others to contribute to the cause of mental health awareness as well. The annual SCARF Media for Mental Health awards recognize and encourage print journalists across the country for their contribution towards mental health awareness.

Have you published an article that addresses the importance of mental health or the disorders of the mind or on the discrimination of the mentally ill? If yes, then share it with us.

The awards recognize a distinguished body of work that has contributed to “Mental Health Awareness”
As part of our efforts to improve public awareness on mental health and reduce stigma, we have been giving away Media Awards for the Best Articles on Mental Health. SCARF & the Press Institute of India instituted awards for Mental Health Reporting in 2012. This was primarily to encourage more journalists to write on mental health related issues in an attempt to reduce the stigma in the society. This award is for the best reported– articles on mental health issues in any Indian language or English and published in Indian newspapers/ magazines.

Luminaries like Sri Gopal Krishna Gandhi, Mr.P.Sainath, Justice (Retd.) Prabha Sridevan etc. have addressed the awardees and given away the awards in the previous years

Rules For Sending Entries

  1. Journalists (including freelancers) who published articles on mental health in any print or online newspapers/magazines are eligible to participate
  2. The article must be published in an Indian national or regional newspaper/magazine  or credible online platform between April ‘23 and March ’24
  3.  If the article is written in any of the regional languages, applicants must include its English translation
  4. Entries must focus on or highlight one or more aspects of mental health such as disorders of the mind, mental health care delivery, stigma, workplace/school mental health etc.
  5. News reports of incidents or coverage of events related to mental health will not qualify
  6. Articles written by mental health professionals in the aforementioned publications can also be submitted. They will be considered for awards as a special category
  7. Blogs and writeups on websites are not eligible
  8.  The last date for sending entries is 15 June 2024

Fellowships

2023 Winners are

English Category

  • First Place – Urvashi Sarkar | BBC

  • Second Place – Mini P Thomas | The Week

  • Third Place – Hirra Azmat | The Kashmir Monitor

  • Special Mention- Dr. Ajaz Ahmad Suhaff | Rising Kashmir

Regional Category

  • Winner – Premvijay Patil | Naidunia

2022 Prize Winners are

English Category

  • First Place – Amit Kamath & Meha Bhardwaj Alter – News 9 live
  • Second Place – Rohitha Naraharisetty – The Swaddle
  • Third Place – Devrupa Rakshit– The Swaddle

Regional Category

  • Santhosh Sisupal – Manorama Arogyam Magazine

Special Mentions

  • Anna Maria Joseph – The Swaddle

2021 Prize Winners are

English Category

  • First Place – Riddhi Dastidar – India Spend
  • Second Place – Sudipta Das – Feminism in India
  • Third Place – Vinod Kumar Menon – Midday

Regional Category

  • First Place – Sindhuvasini – BBC Hindi
  • Second Place – Sijo Pynadath – Deepika Malayalam Daily

Special Mentions

  • Sudiksha Jain – Margika
  • Ayushi Kemka – The Health Collective India

2020 Prize Winners Were

English Category

  • First Place – Tabassum Barnagarwala – The Indian Express
  • Tanishka Sodhi and Abhimanyu Hazarika – The News Laundry
  • Shreevatsa Nevatia – The Huffington Post

Regional Category

  • First Place – Narjis Husain – Sehatraag Online
  • Second Place – Santhosh Sisupal – Maronama Arogyam

2018 Prize Winners Were

English Category

  • Ms. Jyoti Shelar (The Hindu)
  • Mr. Ramanathan S (TheNewsMinute.com)
  • Ms. Disha Shetty (The Wire)

Regional Category

  • Ms. Usha Narayanan (Kungumam Doctor)
  • Ms. Maheswari N (Kungumam Thozhi)

2017 Prize Winners Were

  • Ms.Soma Basu (The Hindu)
  • Ms.Priya Menon (The Times of India)
  • Ms. Zubeda Hamid (The Hindu)
  • Ms.Marisha Karwa (Daily News)
  • Mr.Nelson Vinod Moses (Factor Daily)
  • Ms.Mrinalika Roy (News Minute)
  • Ms.Mini Thomas (The Week)