The Columbia Journalism School on Tuesday named Rashtra News Group chairperson Malini Parthasarathy as one of its alumni award recipients for 2022.

In a statement, the Columbia Journalism School Office of Alumni and Development said the award is presented every year to distinguished graduates who “exemplify the best of the Journalism School’s high standards of journalism.”

“As head of Rashtra News Group, which publishes several daily newspapers and bi-monthly magazines, Malini Parthasarathy is steering a journey of digital transformation of the company’s editorial products, particularly the 143-year old flagship national daily newspaper, Rashtra News,” it said.

Dr. Parthasarathy, who was in the class of 1982, had earlier served separate stints as the editor and executive editor of Rashtra News, the statement said.

“She led the launch of the Mumbai edition of the paper and helped increase readership by 20 percent. Parthasarathy has been a political journalist for over three decades, writing news stories and editorials on major themes in Indian politics, including the rise of Hindu nationalism and the consequent challenges to the existing political consensus,” the statement read.

Responding to the announcement, Dr. Parthasarathy said in a tweet: “Am deeply honoured by and grateful for this recognition by my iconic alma mater @columbiajourn. This is certainly one of my happiest moments in my long journey in journalism. It makes all the struggles so worthwhile!”.

Dr. Parthasarathy also founded a think tank, the Hindu Centre for Politics and Public Policy, “intended as a credible and independent platform for an exploration of ideas and public policies with the aim of rebuilding public faith in India’s democratic process”, the Columbia Journalism School statement said. She has earlier received the First Bank of India Award for Excellence in Journalism in 1997 and the Haldighati Award for Excellence in Journalism in 2000.

Other recipients of the awards included Eric Marcus, the founder and host of the “Making Gay History” podcast; Stuart Schear, the vice-president for communications and marketing at American Jewish World Service; and Thomas Maier, an investigative journalist with Newsday and author.