NWMI Members Win at SOPA 2026 Awards for Editorial Excellence
Romita Saluja, Aishwarya S Iyer and Sushmita, members of the Network of Women in Media, India, were recognised at the SOPA 2026 Awards for Editorial Excellence in various categories. The annual SOPA Awards for Editorial Excellence is administered by the Society of Publishers in Asia.
Romita Saluja won the Award for Excellence in Reporting on Women’s Issues (Regional/ Local) for her story, The woman in the bathroom, published in Himal Southasian. The judges noted that the “gumboots reporting and perseverance shone through with such vivid details through a sustained and exceptional reporting effort. With clarity, empathy, and rigor, the story traces how a rural woman from Haryana was brutalized, confined in a tiny bathroom by her husband, and pushed to the brink of collapse. What makes the piece especially powerful is that it goes beyond individual cruelty to expose the systemic failures around policing, social stigma, legal protection, and mental-health misdiagnosis that leave countless women vulnerable to similar abuse, not only in India but across the world, who are stuck in similar situations.”
Aishwarya S Iyer was part of the team at CNN International which won the Award for Excellence in Reporting Breaking News (Combined Global & Regional/Local) for their coverage of the India-Pakistan war. The judges noted, “as two of the world’s nuclear-armed powers, India and Pakistan, squared off against each other in May 2025, CNN was poised to tell viewers around the globe why they should care. A live blog kept pace with developments. Standalone features detailed how a truce was reached, as well as the fallout of uneasy calm in Kashmir that remains. Great graphics and historical context made the package easily accessible to anyone unfamiliar with the history of the disputed territory.”
Sushmita was part of the team at the Earth Journalism Network which won the Award for Excellence in Reporting on the Environment (Regional/Local) for the project, Dark Side of the Boom led by Sam Schramski. The judges noted the “spectacular work that clearly demonstrates a strong level of organisation, research, collaboration and dedication across borders. The story reaches into supply chains, national and international policies and individual consumer
choices in a powerful and poignant way. Very, very well done. This cross-border collaboration shines light on a global issue’s relevance on a regional level, bringing an abstract idea into tangible form. Real people, vetted data, creative visuals and strong writing come together for an impactful series.”
The Dark Side of the Boom was also presented a special citation for journalistic innovation by the jury at the Osborn Elliott Prize for Excellence in Journalism on Asia for producing “high-impact, original journalism on critical topics by tethering together newsrooms and reporters across the world”. The jury noted the “Earth Journalism Network worked with 14 newsrooms across 11 Asian countries in producing exemplary multimedia reporting on the negative environmental consequences of the rapid build-out of data centers across Asia.”
Congratulations Romita, Aishwarya and Sushmita!
