San Francisco, California (Commonwealth Union)_ Indian-American journalist Viji Sundaram, who works for the San Francisco Public Press, has been honored by the Northern California branch of the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) for a series she wrote on domestic violence in California. According to a media statement from SPJ, the Indian-American won a health reporting prize for three pieces from the series “Coercive Control: Abuse That Leaves No Marks”. SPJ stated that it centered on expanding the definition of domestic violence in California and its uneven application in family court.
According to her San Francisco Public Press biography, Sundaram was once the health editor for New America Media in San Francisco and has worked as a reporter for a number of newspapers in the past, including India-West, the Cape Cod Times, Providence Journal, and the New Bedford Standard-Times. Further, she has been awarded multiple fellowships and eleven journalistic prizes, one of which was for her investigation into McDonald’s usage of beef in its so-called veggie fries.
Sundaram is also one of the co-founders of Narika, a hotline for South Asian women located in Berkeley, and a fervent advocate for animal rights. Moreover, her memberships in professional organizations such as the Society for Professional Journalists, the Association of Health Care Journalists, and the South Asian Journalists Association speak to her caliber as a journalist. She also worked as a freelancer for the North American editions of India Today and Business Today, two renowned Indian publications, for a few years.
Prior to joining NAM, Sundaram covered a variety of themes at India-West, a national weekly newspaper for the South Asian community in the United States, the Cape Cod Times, the Providence Journal, and the New Bedford Standard Times, including women’s health, immigration, crime, and social concerns relating to women. The renowned journalist is a recipient of eight journalism prizes during the past decade. Further, in 2006, her series of articles on Women and AIDS in India earned her an award from New America Media. Apart from fighting for women’s issues, she is also an advocate for animal rights.
