Gauri Lankesh memorialised as Journalist killed in Line of Duty Honoured in France as part of Bayeux-Calvados Awards
12, Oct 2018 | CJP Team
On October 8, 2018 fearless Indian journalist Gauri Lankesh was honoured at a memorial commemorating reporters killed on duty at the Bayeux-Calvados Awards held in France. The Bayeux-Calvados Awards for war correspondents (Prix Bayeux-Calvados des correspondants de guerre) is an annual prize awarded since 1994, by the city of Bayeux and the General Council of Calvados. Its goal is to pay tribute to journalists who work in dangerous conditions to allow the public access to information about war.
Gauri Lankesh’s name was carved on a pillar along with those of other journalists killed in the line of duty. She had been gunned down outside her home in Bangalore on the night of September 5, 2017 allegedly by members of a right wing supremacist organisation because her commitment to secularism and constitutional values, ran contrary to their divisive politics and anti-minority agenda.
Gauri’s sister Kavitha Lankesh and niece Esha were present at the ceremony. Speaking at the occasion Kavitha who is a film maker said, “Gauri’s values of democracy and constitutional values were born from our father P Lanesh who ran a successful newspaper for 35 years without any advertisements.” She went on to add, “Gauri stood for all minorities, women, workers, Dalits and social outcast groups that still exist in India.” Kavitha went on to explain how Gauri, through her journalism was her activism, took on right wing extremists and spoke up against discrimination based on religion and caste.
Kavitha Lankesh’s speach may be viewed here:
CJP secretary Teesta Setalvad, who was a close friend of Gauri and always saw her as a sister in arms, said “It is with pain and pride that we observe this from afar. Gauri’s work, courage and vision has been memorialised across the seas. But at what cost? A life lost to the fires of hate.”
About the Award
The Prix Bayeux-Calvados des correspondants de guerre was launched as part of the fiftieth anniversary of the Normandy landings. It is awarded in Bayeux, one of the first French cities to be liberated in the Second World War, in a conference that includes a book fair, a media forum, discussion evenings, and youth-oriented events.
The award has had twelve categories since 1994: Daily news, Magazine, Photojournalism, Radio, Television, Large Format Television, Web journalism, Young reporter, Lower Normandy Secondary School Students’ Prize, Ouest-France – Jean Marin Prize (Print journalism), Public Prize.
Related Articles:
Death of a Rationalist: Gauri Lankesh
Gauri Lankesh’s murder: Will justice prevail?
Gauri Lankesh laid to rest, but The Truth could not be buried
