HONOURS / AWARDS
Bhalakar-Bhopatkar Award (1982)
The most prestigious award in Marathi journalism during the 80s. His news about how a sane man was being made to live in a mental asylum only due to the bureaucratic red tape, and the follow up till the person was released, won the award for him. Praveen was the first journalist from Vidarbha to win this award.
M. G. Vaidya Patrakarita Puraskar (1988)
After the retirement of the thinker and linguist, M. G. Vaidya as Editor, Taun Bharat, this puraskar was launched. Praveen was selected as the first recipient of this award for the best journalist of Vidarbha. His news about the misuse and apathetic attitude of the Government towards the upkeep of the Martyr’s Memorials in Vidarbha won him the honour.
Nasikrai Tirpude Patrakarita Puraskar (1994)
Nasikrao Tirpude, Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, who had also been a journalist in his youth, was a Congress leader and a staunch supporter of separate Vidarbha. This award, to commemorate his 75th birthday, was begun for the journalists of Vidarbha and Praveen, who did not support the Vidarbha movement, won it in its first year on the basis of his excellence in journalism. Nasikrao himself had proposed Praveen’s name for the award.
Anilkumar Memorial Award (2007)
Anilkumar Adyalkar was a giant of Hindi journalism, who was 0riginally from Nagpur but later shifted to Bhopal. His family launched this award in his memory for journalists from all languages. Later, the responsibility was taken over by Manav Mandir, a social organization which gives this award now, in partnership with Nagpur Journalists’ Association. It was awarded to Praveen in 2007.The award was given at the hands of D. B. Ghumre, who had influenced his career as an editor.
M. S. Kannamwar Award (2007)
M.S. Kannamwar was a former Chief Minister of Maharashtra. Manav Sewa Trust, working under the leadership of Shantaram Potdukhe, former Finance Minister of India, gives M. S. Kannamwar Memorial Award for excellence in various fields. The award for excellence in journalism was given to Praveen, for his all round contribution to journalism, in 2007.
Maitri Award (2007)
Maitri Pariwar of Nagpur gives this award to a person for active participation in promoting friendship in the society. In 2007 Praveen was awarded this honour for promoting friendship between different communities through Journalism.
Marathwada Gaurav (2009)
A person hailing from Marathwada but displaying his capability in various fields in Maharashtra is given this award. Praveen won this award in 2009. Other recipients of this award that year were B.J.P. leader Gopinath Munde, Stage and film director Chandrakant Kulkarni and poetess Shradddha Belsare (Jayashree Kharkar).
Diary
The Diary which narrated, in a literary style, the experiences gained in journalism received huge popularity and many awards. In less than two years, the third edition of ‘Diary’ was under print. It recived Vidyadhar Gokhale award of Mumbai Marathi Patrakar Sangh; the first Ram ganesh Gadkari award from Devayani Prakashan; and Ambadas Madgulkar prize from Marathi Sahitya Parishad. It was a poetic coincidence that the award named after Vidyadhar Gokhale, who had been an editor of Plksatta was given to Praveen who was the editor of an edition of Loksatta.
The Salzburg Fellowship
The Salzburg Seminar of Austriya is famous for exchange of thoughts on various topics. A fellowship of the institute is considered a great honour. Praveen was selected to be on the panel for 439th session of Salzburg. The topic for discussion of this eight-day session was, ‘New Sources of Information Media: Challenges and opportunities before Industry, Media and government.’ Representatives from sixty countries participated in it.
Praveen was the first Marathi journalist from India to become the fellow of Salzburg. Praveen had been recommended by American Center.
Vishwa Marathi Sahitya Sammelan
The first Marathi Sahitya Sammelan, after a lot of debate, finally took place at San Hoje in America. Praveen was one of the invited speakers at the Sammelan.
Praveen had the opportunity to participate in the Regional, State and All India level seminars also.
(Praveen had never applied or requested for any of these awards. Different selection committees had recommended his name.)
Lokyatra
When Naxalism entered Maharashtra i.e. during the ‘80s, Praveen played a leading role among the generation of journalists that welcomed it and supported it. At that time these Naxalites appeared to Praveen like revolutionaries because they supported Adivasis. He used to justify the punishments, even capital punishments, given by the Naxalites to the government servants and officers as ‘a just revenge’. Later the Naxalites changed, and took the shape of Maoists. Conflicts began in the forests between the police and the Naxalites. There was widespread violence in the Naxalites affected areas. Adivasis were getting killed by both the sides. The adivasis were terrified, and the so called sensitive urban society and intellectuals did not feel the need to comfort and console them.
Prof. Suresh Dwadashiwar came up with a novel idea for boosting up the morale of innocent, terrified adivasis. He thought of undertaking a ’Public March’ in the naxal affected area of Maharashtra. It was to start at Asaralli and go up to Gadchiroli. Social activist Girish Gandhi also took lead and Praveen also joined them. Praveen took upon himself the responsibility of the speaker of the march. 245 people from various areas of the state, of various institutions and organizations, people with diametrically opposite views joined the March led by Prof. Suresh Dwadashiwar from 20th March to 14th April, 2005.
The pen-drive found with the Maoists arrested after the ‘Public March’ showed Praveen’s name in the hitlist. The next four months were spent byy Praveen and all of us in the protection of police commandos. Even when I took Candy, our dog out for a walk, they would follow us!
