Palagummi Sainath

2007 Ramon Magsaysay Awardee for Journalism, Literature, and Creative Communication Arts from India. In 1993, P. Sainath was already an established newspaper editor when he decided to shift to investigative journalism. Focusing on life in India’s ten poorest districts, he presented his readers with the revelation that poverty was not caused by drought but by the country’s enduring inequalities, aggravated by shortsighted policies and widespread corrupt practices – all these leading small farmers and landless laborers into crippling debt. His relentless reporting exposed shocking truths behind unnecessary starvation among tribal children, and rising suicides among desperate farmers; still, his reports also celebrated the resilience and courage of the poor. Convinced that “Journalism is for the people, not for shareholders,” he also began training a new breed of rural reporters to write good village-based stories and to become agents of change. His own authoritative reporting continues, and national and state officials are increasingly taking heed.