Hello! my name is Kunāl Majumder

With 17 years in journalism, media leadership, and academia, I’ve dedicated my career to advancing press freedom and fostering innovation. Currently, as a Knight Wallace Fellow at the University of Michigan, I’m studying AI, U.S. foreign policy, and entrepreneurship, focusing on leveraging public policy to enhance journalist protections. Previously, as the India Representative for the Committee to Protect Journalists, I led efforts to document press freedom violations and advocate for journalist safety. I continue to support impactful journalism as an advisor to the Impulse Model Press Lab and have taught as a visiting faculty member at Jamia Millia Islamia University. Throughout my career, I’ve held leadership roles at major Indian media outlets like Tehelka, Indian Express, and Zee Media, launching platforms like Catch News and InUth to engage young audiences. Throughout my career, my work on issues ranging from rural reporting to gender sensitivity has earned recognition, including awards and fellowships such as the EUVP Fellowship, the Jan Mitra Award, the Statesman Award for Rural Reporting and UNFPA-Laadli Award for Gender Sensitivity.
Follow Me
profile

February baby’s first journalism award

by Kunal Majumder 1 minute read.

February always been kind to me. This year it has been exceptional giving. Not only did I celebrate my 27th birthday on 13th, lot of good news have come along in the last few days.

I have won my first journalism award — UNFPA Laadli Media Award 2010-11. I’m grateful to Tehelka and its editors for their support. Perhaps no other news organisation in this country gives so much freedom to a journalist as Tehelka does. I’m lucky I work for such a magazine.

Read More

Parallel Histories

by Kunal Majumder 6 minutes read.

In early 1900s, Rajoni Kanto Majumder came to Jharia from Shantipur in Nadia district to work as a manager in the coal division of the KC Thappar group. He got married to Sudhangshu Bala Ghosh from Mushidabad and settled down in the coal town.

Read More

‘We give J&K 90 percent subsidy on everything but no one regrets it’

by Kunal Majumder 5 minutes read.

UNTIL A few days ago, Anurag Thakur was merely the son of a chief minister and a BJP MP. Several persons answer to that description, so it wasn’t a big deal. Now, suddenly, Thakur is being billed as one of the next big things in the BJP. His Ekta Yatra was a big show for a party that hadn’t done mass politics for a while. It must count for something in a notoriously slow party when you can get Arun Jaitley and Sushma Swaraj rushing to be seen at your show. When TEHELKA met Thakur for its Upcomer series, where promising Indians are interviewed to get an early sense of their perspective, he was presiding over a bustling Yuva Morcha office unlike a somnolent BJP office next door. There have been highprofile youth leaders in the BJP who have slowed down as they moved into the core party. What goes on in Thakur’s mind that can save him from a similar slowdown? Excerpts from an interview:

Read More