The Pulitzer Prize winners for Journalism, Books, Drama, and Music for the year 2022 were announced on Monday May 9. Reuters photographers Adnan Abidi, Sanna Irshad Mattoo, Amit Dave, and the late Danish Siddiqui won the Pulitzer Prize for feature photography.
Following the announcement, congratulatory messages and criticisms are pouring in from all corners of the world for these Indian awardees.
Pulitzer is currently trending at number 7 in India with around 52,651 tweets.
Congratulations to @adnanabidi, @mattoosanna, @AmitDav46549614, the family and friends of the late @dansiddiqui and @Reuters. #Pulitzer pic.twitter.com/NGI0NiBsQT
— The Pulitzer Prizes (@PulitzerPrizes) May 9, 2022
Photojournalist Siddiqui (38) was murdered while covering a clash between Afghan security forces and Taliban fighters near an Afghan-Pakistan border crossing on July 2021. This is the second Pulitzer Prize he has received.
Mattoo is from Kashmir, whereas Abidi is based in New Delhi. Dave is based in Ahmedabad, where he works for Reuters on local and national news assignments.
“The late Danish Siddiqui wins a Pulitzer posthumously. He will always be the pride of India’s journalism fraternity. One of a kind,” wrote a journalist Uday Rana.
The Pulitzer Prize for feature photography is awarded to Adnan Abidi, Sanna Irshad Mattoo, Amit Dave and the late Danish Siddiqui of Reuters for the coverage of COVID in India https://t.co/qiFwmaxrLM pic.twitter.com/R0KjZVwx0h
— Reuters (@Reuters) May 9, 2022
Sakshi Joshi, who is also a journalist stated that it is a proud moment for all of us. “This is the beauty of our Country India Where Adnan, Sanna, Amit and Danish make our country proud together. And it’s all because of the POWER OF TRUTH.”
Journalistic work often goes uncelebrated, journalists, however, continue to work hard regardless, oftentimes risking their lives. Their work is essential to life. So glad to see the Pulitzer come home. Congratulations to all,” commented one Twitter user.
Retweeting the Pulitzer Award-winning picture post Aishwarya Mudgil stated, “Last year, I posted a picture of Sabarmati Express where Karsevaks were burnt alive. Twitter deleted my tweet because it was against its guidelines. Meanwhile, these pictures of burning pyres are not just okay as per Twitter community guidelines but they are Pulitzer worthy.”
“This year’s Pulitzer unsurprisingly goes to the picture that captured burning pyres. No other community in the world faces such reckless disrespect & lack of privacy. These people will not even spare some dignity for the departed souls- it gets them, Pulitzer, at the end of the day,” she wrote.
Replying to her tweet a Twitter user stated, “Pulitzer is not an award from the heaven to be pure. Everything is designed and gifted for a reason, to promote, to humiliate, to set a narrative to encourage enmity, to provoke and humiliate as well. Awards have been reduced to propaganda promotion tools.”
“Unless the Indian govt takes this up in a big way this won’t stop. What stops us from instituting something similar and rewarding something similar from outside India. Pain is felt only if it’s inflicted likewise,” wrote another user.
Another user mentioned that glorification of Dead Indians can get you a Pulitzer. “Emphasis on just degrading a nation which provided for covid vaccine for the world and also is leading the largest vaccination drive. It’s high time these ecosystems are shown their places!” he added.
With all puns intended, one user wrote “Ravish Kumar won Ramon Magsaysay Award, bhakts were confused whether to boycott Top Ramen or Maggi? Now 4 Indians win Pulitzer Prize for Feature Photography, bhakts are confused whether to boycott feature films or photography?”
Few even noted when WHO released Covid figures, India denied it. However, Pulitzer prize were awarded to the Covid pictures.
Many users questioned if they had missed other Pulitzer-worthy photographs while choosing on the winners, and many were critical about the West’s obsession with disrespecting India.
Image source: Twitter, IANS
Also read Kashmiri Photojournalist Sanna wins Pulitzer
