NEW DELHI: In a historic milestone in the Press Club of India (PCI) history, Sangeeta Barooah Pisharoty was on Sunday elected as the first woman president of the Club.
As per the PCI, Pisharoty’s team swept all office-bearers and managing committee positions, scoring an emphatic 21-0, in the elections held on December 13.
Pisharoty won decisively, securing 1,019 votes, while her rivals Atul Mishra and Arun Sharma received 129 and 89 votes, respectively. While Jatin Gandhi emerged victorious as the vice-president candidate polling 1,029 votes, defeating the next rival Prahlad Singh Rajput by a margin of over 900 votes, Afzal Imam was elected for the Secretary-General’s post. Afzal Imam secured 948 votes, comfortably defeating Gyan Prakash, who polled 290 votes.
Aditi Rajput (Treasurer) and PR Sunil (Joint Secretary) were elected unopposed.
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The result was announced by PCI chief election commissioner MMC Sharma and his team at the PCI lawns in the evening to a full house of journalists.
“In the elections for the 16-member Managing Committee, Niraj Kumar topped the list with 932 votes, followed by Abhishek Kumar Singh (911), Jahanvi Sen (903), Ashok Kaushik (892), Kallol Bhattacharjee (882), Praveen Jain (878), Agraj Pratap Singh (865), Manoj Sharma (861), Nyanima Basu (851), PB Suresh (838), VP Pandey (833), Prem Bahukhandi (831), Sneha Bhura (829), Javed Akhtar (823), Rezaul Hasan Laskar (781), and Sunil Kumar (780),” the PCI stated.
“The election reflects the collective confidence of the Press Club of India members in our panel’s vision and long-standing commitment to upholding the values of free, fair, and responsible journalism,” Pisharoty said after the announcement of the result.
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Meanwhile, the outgoing president, Gautam Lahiri expressed gratitude to the members of the Press Club of India for their trust and support. He asserted that the new team will continue to make the Club more inclusive, responsive, and relevant to the evolving challenges faced by journalists today in India.
Outgoing secretary-general of the PCI, Neeraj Thakur also said. “The Press Club of India has, since its inception, served as a vital institution for journalists from across the country and abroad. The election of its first woman President stands as a powerful symbol of progress and a reaffirmation of the Club’s dedication to equality, diversity, and democratic values.”