Chairperson: Dr Jaya Sreedhar, Media Health Consultant , Writer and Former Censor Board Member
Co Chair : Mr R Venkatesh, Editor, Dinamalar Pattam

Alongside research and rehabilitation, SCARF is deeply committed to raise awareness and sensitize the general public about mental health and related issues, through various means and methods. Besides organizing events which allow people from different walks of life to know and understand mental health related issues, SCARF encourages others to contribute to the cause of mental health awareness as well. The annual SCARF Media for Mental Health awards recognize and encourage print journalists across the country for their contribution towards mental health awareness.

Have you published an article that addresses the importance of mental health or the disorders of the mind or on the discrimination of the mentally ill? If yes, then share it with us.

The awards recognize a distinguished body of work that has contributed to “Mental Health Awareness”
As part of our efforts to improve public awareness on mental health and reduce stigma, we have been giving away Media Awards for the Best Articles on Mental Health. This is the 7th edition of these awards.SCARF & the Press Institute of India instituted awards for Mental Health Reporting in 2012. This was primarily to encourage more journalists to write on mental health related issues in an attempt to reduce the stigma in the society. This award is for the best reported– articles on mental health issues in any Indian language or English and published in Indian newspapers/ magazines.

Luminaries like Sri Gopal Krishna Gandhi, Mr.P.Sainath, Justice (Retd.) Prabha Sridevan etc. have addressed the awardees and given away the awards in the previous years

Rules For Sending Entries

  1. Journalists (including freelancers) who have had their story on mental health published in any newspaper, magazine or online are eligible to participate. The article should have been published in an Indian National or Regional newspaper/ magazine or online journal between April 2019 and March 2020 in English or any Indian language.
  2. Applicants must submit entries that focus on or highlight one or more aspects of mental health such as disorders of the mind (depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, etc), mental health care delivery, and stigma.
  3. News reports and articles on lifestyle and stress-related problems, such as call-centre woes, marital problems etc will not qualify.
  4. If the article is in an Indian language, an English translation should be provided. Entries should be sent by October 15, 2020.
  5. The decision of the jury will be final. The results will be announced by SCARF by the end of November 2020.

Total prize money for English/Indian Language/Online categories:

  • 1st Prize – Rs.10, 000/-
  • 2nd Prize – Rs.6, 000/-
  • 3rd Prize – Rs.4, 000/-

Fellowships

2021 Prize Winners are

English Category

  • First Place – Riddhi Dastidar – India Spend
  • Second Place – Sudipta Das – Feminism in India
  • Third Place – Vinod Kumar Menon – Midday

Regional Category

  • First Place – Sindhuvasini – BBC Hindi
  • Second Place – Sijo Pynadath – Deepika Malayalam Daily

Special Mentions

  • Sudiksha Jain – Margika
  • Ayushi Kemka – The Health Collective India

2020 Prize Winners Were

English Category

  • First Place – Tabassum Barnagarwala – The Indian Express
  • Tanishka Sodhi and Abhimanyu Hazarika – The News Laundry
  • Shreevatsa Nevatia – The Huffington Post

Regional Category

  • First Place – Narjis Husain – Sehatraag Online
  • Second Place – Santhosh Sisupal – Maronama Arogyam

2018 Prize Winners Were

English Category

  • Ms. Jyoti Shelar (The Hindu)
  • Mr. Ramanathan S (TheNewsMinute.com)
  • Ms. Disha Shetty (The Wire)

Regional Category

  • Ms. Usha Narayanan (Kungumam Doctor)
  • Ms. Maheswari N (Kungumam Thozhi)

2017 Prize Winners Were

  • Ms.Soma Basu (The Hindu)
  • Ms.Priya Menon (The Times of India)
  • Ms. Zubeda Hamid (The Hindu)
  • Ms.Marisha Karwa (Daily News)
  • Mr.Nelson Vinod Moses (Factor Daily)
  • Ms.Mrinalika Roy (News Minute)
  • Ms.Mini Thomas (The Week)