PD Tandon Foundation is a Trust created by RK Tandon and Chitra Malik, son and daughter, respectively, of late PD Tandon.
RK Tandon was a senior journalist and author who had worked in All India Radio, Lucknow for over 35 years as a correspondent and subsequently for about 11 years he was accredited to UP Government as ‘Swatantra Patrakar’. His book ‘Azaadi ke Diwane’ has been awarded by the UP Hindi Sansthan. His another book, ‘Hanged for their Patriotism’ has been translated into Hindi, Oriya, Punjabi, Malayalam and Telugu.
Chitra Malik is an educator, specializing in English language and is associated with the reputed colleges of Allahabad and Lucknow for the past three decades.
As PD Tandon was associated with education sector, the basic purpose of the Trust is to provide educational opportunities and assistance to the underprivileged and weaker sections of the society. It also intends to carry out miscellaneous welfare activities for the needy.
PD Tandon was also a journalist and therefore, the Foundation gives PD Tandon Outstanding Journalism Awards to young and upcoming journalists. The selection panel comprises Ms Sunita Aron, Senior Resident Editor, Hindustan Times, Ms. Ruchi Kumar, Senior Associate Editor, India TV, Mr. Ratan Mani Lal, senior journalist and former editor, Mr. Sharat Pradhan, senior journalist and political analyst, Mr. Govind Pant Raju, senior journalist and freelancer.
The Inaugural Annual Function of the PD Tandon Foundation Trust was held at Jaipuria Institute of Management Auditorium, Lucknow on 3rd October, 2021. The second Annual Function was held on 8th October, 2022, at NBRI Auditorium, Lucknow. The 2023 Annual function could not be held due to the sad demise of Foundation’s President Mr. RK Tandon.
Now the third edition of PD Tandon Foundation Awards is slated to be held on 10th February, 2024, at Jaipuria Institute of Management Auditorium. The Foundation will felicitate three journalists from print, electronic and digital media and hold an essay competition amongst Mass Communication students of the city. The topic of the essay this year is ‘Impact of Artificial Intelligence on media’. Besides, the Foundation is also holding a story-writing competition in Hindi with topics ‘Rishte’ and ‘Ummeed’. The prizes for Essay and Story writing competition shall be given during the Annual Function. Also, the nuances of journalism as a profession and art of story writing shall be discussed by the experts.
Sunita Aron, author and journalist, consulting editor, Hindustan Times. Tedx speaker. She has keen interest in social issues, while politics remain her forte. Besides journalism academics also interest her. She was governors nominee on the board of Haridev Joshi Institute of Journalism, Jaipur.
Ruchi Kumar is a Senior Associate Editor at India TV. She began her career in 1993 with Navbharat Times. Over her 31-year career, Ruchi has worked for Vinod Dua’s Parakh News Magazine, Preetish Nandi’s News Watch, and Doordarshan. Since 1999, she has been associated with Rajat Sharma. At India TV, Ruchi oversees coverage of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, and Uttarakhand. She has extensively covered issues related to politics, culture, sports, and social matters.
Ratan Mani Lal is a senior journalist, having worked as Editor in The Times of India, Hindustan Times, the Bhaskar Group, and as Founder-Head of Jaipuria Institute of Mass Communication.
He is a prominent columnist, TV commentator and writer.
With a journalism career spanning over four decades in print, television, radio, and digital media, Dr Govind Pant Raju has led media & editorial teams at ANI, BBC India and Navbharat Times. He served as the Bureau Chief at Aaj Tak news channel from 1995 to 2007. In 1991, he became the first Indian journalist to be part of an Antarctic expedition. He has a deep interest in Indian History and holds a Ph.D. on the same. At present, he is a visiting faculty at Amity University, U.P Academy of Administration & Management, Lucknow University and Uttarakhand Open University.
Sharat Pradhan is a journalist , political analyst and author with more than four-and – a-half decades of standing. He has worked in print,electronic as well as digital media where he continues to anchor a daily show on Satya Hindi and a weekly program on The Wire. He has worked for The Times of India, SUNDAY, OUTLOOK, REUTERS ,IANS among several others and is a popular face in TV debates on leading Indian and international channels. He has also authored a book on Yogi Adityanath- published by Penguin.
PD Tandon was a freedom fighter, eminent author and journalist, whose name appears on fifty two books in Hindi and English, of which some were translated into Urdu and Tamil also. During the Quit India Movement of 1942.