Sarah Aziz, a young freelance journalist and postgraduate journalism student from Kolkata, has been awarded second prize in the “Young Journalist of the Year” category at the UK’s prestigious Press Awards held on May 22. At just 23, Aziz is currently pursuing her Master of Science in Journalism at Columbia University in New York, reported the Voice of America.
Her award-winning journey began in 2023 during her undergraduate studies in English Literature at Loreto College, Kolkata. She gained international recognition after reporting for Voice of America on the plight of Rohingya Muslim refugees in Bangladesh—work that ultimately earned her this major British media honour.
The Press Awards jury recognized her for her courageous investigative reporting featured in leading British dailies like The Guardian and The Telegraph (UK). One of her most impactful stories, published in The Telegraph in November 2024, investigated the suspicious death of a Rohingya child held in Indian government detention in New Delhi. Her report highlighted medical negligence, abuse in custody, and broader patterns of systemic detention and torture of Rohingya Muslims in India.
Earlier in 2024, Aziz published another groundbreaking report in The Guardian, uncovering rampant sexual abuse and rape of incarcerated women, especially in West Bengal. The investigation revealed the extent of institutional cover-ups protecting perpetrators.
Aziz has consistently focused on human rights violations affecting Rohingya Muslims across South Asia, contributing to renowned outlets such as The South China Morning Post, Voice of America, and The Guardian. Her recent coverage of the 2025 student protests in Bangladesh was also featured in The Times (UK).
Set to graduate from Columbia in August 2025, Sarah Aziz stands as a rising voice for the voiceless, using the power of investigative journalism to shine light on neglected injustices.
