I’ve shared a selection of my work on this website.
March 2007 - Current
Voice of America, Washington, D.C.
Documentary producer and journalist covering international affairs, conflict, and human rights.
As the Lead of the VOA-India team at Voice of America, I built and led a dynamic team of reporters, producers, editors, and videographers across India. I also launched and grew the team’s digital presence on YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook—establishing these platforms from the ground up to deliver globally reported news and compelling feature stories to Indian audiences.
1995 – 2007
Worked as a documentary producer, reporter, and executive producer across leading television networks in India, creating a wide range of current affairs and feature programming.
My recent hour-long documentary film, Jamala: Songs of Freedom, received the Golden Dolphin Award at the Cannes Corporate Media & TV Awards 2024 in Cannes, France. It has also been screened at prestigious forums such as the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., under the "Extraordinary Cinema" banner, and the Aspen Security Forum.
Trailer:
https://youtu.be/82WZp2onCx4
Hell and Hope is a one-hour documentary I shot, wrote, edited, and narrated, following five Yazidi girls who escaped ISIS captivity. It was featured at several international festivals, including the Venice TV Awards, the Peloponnisos International Doc Fest in Greece, the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) Awards in Tokyo, and the Social World Film Festival in Italy.
Trailer:
https://vimeo.com/343052765
Biscut is a 35-minute short film and my first work of fictional storytelling. It was picked up by the Hotstar-Disney OTT platform, where it remained top-rated for two weeks, competing against full-length feature films in India. The film tells the story of Bhoora, a poor Dalit man facing daily struggles for survival, who transforms a collective curse into a powerful catalyst for change.
Women of India (Women India Ki)
I am directing and producing Women of India, a 12-part documentary series investigating women's safety in India. The series was inspired by the tragic rape and murder of a young doctor in Kolkata. With an all-women crew, we journey through 23 cities across 10 states—capturing the lived experiences, daily challenges, and remarkable resilience of Indian women. At its core, the series poses a critical question: Are women truly safe in India today?
In 2010, I conceptualized and launched VOA’s Media Lab—a creative innovation hub that has grown into a thriving department now in its 15th year. Its original formats and storytelling approaches are now adopted by over 35 VOA language services across platforms. Notable programs developed under Media Lab include VOA-60, Red Carpet, Penalty BOX, Qubanaha, and Let’s Play Elections, among many others.
I developed ‘Necastics’, a green screen studio model designed to empower smaller VOA language services. This flexible, cost-effective setup enables teams to produce high-quality, innovative programming without the limitations of traditional broadcast infrastructure.
A 28-minute short documentary that follows Afghan singer Javid Karezi, who experienced success until the Taliban took control of Afghanistan on August 15, 2021. The Taliban banned all music, prompting Javid and his family to flee to Quetta, Pakistan, where they lived for eight months. He struggled to support his family due to a language barrier and limited job opportunities, ultimately deciding to return to Kabul. Now, under Taliban rule, he faces depression.
I edited the award-winning documentary Fire in the Land of Snow, a deep dive into the 118 self-immolations in Tibet since 2009. Using smuggled footage, firsthand testimonies, and expert interviews, the film explores Tibet’s recent history and the forces behind this unprecedented wave of political protest. It screened at eleven film festivals worldwide.
A 12-minute film that tells the story of the Yazidi girls kidnapped by ISIS from the village of Kocho, Iraq, in 2014. Most remain missing. As one of the first films to explore their stories in depth, it features haunting watercolor portrayals by Syrian American journalist Lukman Ahmad.
India’s Shackled Press follows Raihanath, wife of jailed journalist Siddique Kappan, as she raises three children alone in a small Indian town. With no income, she wages a determined fight for her husband’s fair trial—arrested while on assignment to report on the rape and murder of a 19-year-old Dalit woman.
Cannes Corporate and Media Awards, Cannes, France – 2024
Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) Awards, Tokyo – 2019
Venice TV Awards, Celebrating Television Masterpieces – 2019
Peloponnisos International Documentary Festival, Kalamata, Greece – 2020
VOA Gold Medal & Equivalent Awards – 2011 (First Indian recipient), 2015, 2017, 2019
Webby Awards, International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences - Webby Honoree
New York Festivals, USA - Silver Medal
Gracie's Awards, USA -
Calcutta International Cult Film Festival – 2020
Beyond Earth Film Festival, India – 2020
Social World Film Festival, Italy – 2019
Eurasia International Film Festival – 2020
Woodpecker International Film Festival, India – 2020
Top 5 Coverages:
U.S.-Iraq War (2003): Reported on the ground from Iraq, Kuwait, and Turkey.
Post-Taliban Afghanistan (2003): Covered the country’s transition, including an exclusive interview with General Rashid Dostum at Sheberghan Fort.
India-Pakistan Kargil War (1999): Reported directly from the frontlines in Kargil, Dras, and the Mushkoh Valley.
Indian General Elections: In-depth political reporting from across India.
U.S. Presidential Elections: Covered multiple election cycles with a global perspective.
2019 – Direction, New York Film Academy, New York
2009 – Screenwriting, UCLA Extension Program, University of California, Los Angeles, USA
1996 – Postgraduate Diploma in Mass Communication, Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), New Delhi
1993–1995 – Master's in Composite History, Lucknow University, India
1990–1993 – Graduation in Economics, Political Science, and History, Lucknow University, India