HfHR at the SAJA Conference 2025
By Faria Rehman and the Hindus for Human Rights Team
Hindus for Human Rights was honored to attend the 2025 South Asian Journalists Association (SAJA) Conference in New York City — a gathering of journalists, writers, and advocates committed to truth, justice, and storytelling in difficult times. Across panels and conversations, the weekend reaffirmed the importance of courageous reporting and the moral responsibility of bearing witness in an age of misinformation and repression.
A Night to Remember
Vrinda Jagota and Faria Rehman of HfHR
The SAJA weekend began with a glittering gala at The Glasshouse in Chelsea, offering sweeping views of the Manhattan skyline. The venue shimmered with energy — and the best of South Asian journalism showed up dressed to their desi nines for the black-tie affair.
After a lively cocktail reception and opening remarks, Hari Sreenivasan spoke about the importance of supporting local and public news, especially as outlets like PBS and NPR face defunding threats. He reflected on how newsrooms can adapt to today’s challenges — from the rapid rise of AI to increasing censorship and the dangerous environments in which journalists often work.
Dinner followed — an incredible Indian meal shared among colleagues and friends as the awards ceremony began. Throughout the evening, reporters from across the field were honored for their cutting-edge and courageous work.
Conversations on the Future of Journalism
Saturday morning, October 11, began bright and early with breakfast and the first panel of the day: “State of the First Estate.”
This session featured Bina Venkataraman, former Washington Post op-ed editor, in conversation with Sudeep Reddy, DC bureau chief at MSNBC. The two discussed the ever-changing landscape of journalism and how the emergence of artificial intelligence poses challenges for human reporters.
Bina encouraged journalists to lean into their humanity — to cultivate intimacy with their audiences and offer insights that no algorithm can replicate.She emphasized the need to build relationships, challenge prevailing ideals, and bring the human texture back into news.
Gaza and the Fight to Bear Witness
Perhaps the most powerful conversation of the weekend came during the panel “Gaza and the Fight to Bear Witness.”
Moderated by Azmat Khan of Columbia University, the discussion brought together Jodie Ginsberg (CEO, Committee to Protect Journalists), Ashish Malhotra (former Al Jazeera producer), and Imtiaz Tyab (CBS News senior foreign correspondent).
This session opened with stories of Palestinians on the ground who are turning to journalism as a way to bear witness — to make the world see their suffering, and to call for accountability. Ginsberg spoke about the increasing dangers journalists face in Gaza, especially Palestinian reporters who risk and lose their lives simply for doing their jobs.
Tyab and Malhotra shared firsthand accounts of reporting in war zones — the fear, the ethical dilemmas, and the struggle to tell authentic stories under surveillance and restriction.
For Hindus for Human Rights, this conversation resonated deeply. As we continue to advocate for freedom of expression and human dignity, we stand in solidarity with journalists everywhere — especially those who risk everything to speak truth to power.
Journalism and Justice
Later in the day, HfHR’s Faria Rehman and Vrinda Jagota attended another compelling session: “Relentless Reporting: How Journalism Drives Reform.”
The panel featured Dan Slepian, producer of The Sing Sing Chronicles; Adnan Sultan, senior staff attorney at the Innocence Project; and Shaheen Pasha, co-founder of the Prison Journalism Project. The conversation was moderated by Aisha Sultan of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Relentless Reporting: How Journalism Drives Reform panel — left to right: Aisha Sultan, Dan Slepian, Shaheen Pasha, Adnan Sultan
This session explored the powerful relationship between journalism and incarceration — and how storytelling can become a tool for justice. From uncovering wrongful convictions to amplifying the voices of those behind bars, each panelist emphasized how reporting can transform systems and change lives.
Reflections
SAAJA 2025 was not just a celebration of South Asian journalism — it was a powerful reminder that storytelling itself is a moral act.
At Hindus for Human Rights, we believe journalism and faith share a sacred duty: to bear witness, to seek truth, and to stand with the vulnerable.
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