Two Indian journalists, Anand RK and Suparna Sharma, along with Natalie Obiko Pearson, have been awarded the Pulitzer Prize for their art reporting project uncovering cybercrime in India. The trio won in the Illustrated Reporting and Commentary category for their work with Bloomberg. Devjyot Ghoshal, another Indian journalist, was a finalist in the same category for his investigation into cybercrime and trafficking in Southeast Asia, focusing on criminals exploiting individuals from various countries, including India, to carry out scams. Aniruddha Ghosal, a reporter based in Hanoi, was recognized in the International Reporting category for revealing the US Border Patrol’s covert use of mass-surveillance tools developed in Silicon Valley and China.
The Pulitzer-winning series shed light on the misuse of these surveillance tools not only by the US but also by China and other nations. The report highlighted the concerning case of a Lucknow neurologist, Ruchira Tandon, who fell victim to cybercriminals posing as officials, leading to her being confined at home for six days and losing Rs 2.8 crores from her bank accounts. The Pulitzer announcement emphasized the story’s significance in illustrating the increasing global threats posed by surveillance and online scams. Anand, based in Mumbai, is an accomplished illustrator and visual artist with multiple accolades, while Suparna Sharma is a freelance investigative journalist in India.
