Vartika Nanda

Vartika Nanda
Nanda at LBSNAA, Mussoorie in 2016
Born
Punjab
OccupationsPrison reformer, media educator, trainer, podcaster and author

Professor (Dr.) Vartika Nanda is an Indian prison reformer, media educator and media commentator. She has experience of the media industry and academia and has dedicated her life to the cause of prison reforms. She is the recipient of Stree Shakti Puraskar by the President of India, the highest civilian honour for women empowerment in India, given to her for her work in media and literature. Her name entered Limca Book of Records twice.[1][2][3] She is the recipient of Bhartendu Harish Chandra Award by Government of India [4] and is a TEDx speaker.

Vartika Nanda is credited for giving birth to prison radios in District Jail, Agra (Uttar Pradesh), District Jail, Dehradun (Uttarakhand) and the jails of Haryana.[5] She has authored 4 books on prisons, latest being RADIO IN PRISON published by National Book Trust in 2024.[6] Her recent research on the "Study of the condition of women inmates and their children in Indian Prisons and their communication needs with special reference to Uttar Pradesh" has been evaluated as OUTSTANDING by ICSSR. It was released by Shri Manoj Kumar Singh (IAS), Chief Secretary, Uttar Pradesh and Shri P. V. Rama Sastry, Director General of Police/Inspector General Prison, Prison Administration and Reform Services, Uttar Pradesh in 2024.[7] Brut India has given extensive coverage to her work in the prisons of Haryana.[8]

She is the voice of Delhi Police and is the storyteller of Kissa Khaki Ka, the only podcast series by any police department in India. Kissa Khaki Ka completed 206 episodes on 18 January, 2026, marking the completion of the first phase of this podcast series. The new series of Kissa Khaki Ka 2.0 was launched on 01 February, 2026.[9]

Career

Professor Vartika Nanda heads the Department of Journalism in Lady Shri Ram College,[10] Delhi University [11] She has held various journalistic assignments in electronic media including Zee News, NDTV and Lok Sabha TV.[12] Her research areas include prisons, relationships between police, crime and the persecution of victims, gender reporting and the portrayal of women in media. She was the first woman reporter to head crime beat in the electronic media in India.[13] She runs the Tinka Tinka Foundation dedicated towards prison reforms, with a special focus on prison radio.[14] She is credited with curating and creating the concept of awards for inmates and prison staff for the first time in India.[15] Her name has been included in the Limca Book of Records twice for her work on prison reforms.[1][16]

Published books

Journalism & Mass Communication:

Nanda, V. (2024) Radio in Prison: National Book Trust: ISBN 978-93-5743-974-9

Nanda, V. (2018) Media Laws and Ethics: Kanishka Publishers: ISBN 978-81-8457-839-3

Nanda, V. (2018) Media aur Bazaar: Samayik Books: ISBN 978-93-80458-96-0

Nanda, V. (2017) Radio Journalism in India: Kanishka Publishers: ISBN 978-81-8457-798-3

Nanda, V. (2014) Khabar Yahan Bhi: Samyik Prakashan: 2014: ISBN 978-81-7138-286-6

Nanda, V. (2010) Television aur Crime Reporting: Rajkamal Prakashan: 2010: ISBN 978-81-267-1943-3

Nanda, V. (2005) Television aur Apraadh Patrakarita: Delhi: Indian Institute of Mass Communication. (ISBN 81-87481-03-X) Received the Bhartendu Harish Chandra Award by I&B Ministry in 2007

Prison Reforms & Mass Communication:

Nanda, V. (2024) Radio in Prison: National Book Trust: ISBN 978-93-5743-974-9

Nanda, V (2023).  Tinka Tinka Tihar (Hindi): Tinka Tinka Foundation

Nanda, V. (2020) Tinka Tinka Dasna (Hindi): Tinka Tinka Foundation: ISBN 978-93-5265-729-2 (First ever reporting from a jail)

Nanda, V. (2018) Tinka Tinka Madhya Pradesh (Hindi): Tinka Tinka Foundation: ISBN 978-93-5321-015-1

Nanda, V. (2016) Tinka Tinka Dasna (Hindi): Tinka Tinka Foundation: ISBN 978-93-5265-729-2

Nanda, V. (2016) Tinka Tinka Dasna (English): Tinka Tinka Foundation: ISBN 978-93-5265-730-8 (First reporting from the jail)

Nanda, V. (2013) Tinka Tinka Tihar (Eds.) (Hindi): Ed: Vartika Nanda & Vimla Mehra: Publisher: Rajkamal Prakashan:2013. Included in the Limca Book of Records.

Nanda, V. (2013) Tinka Tinka Tihar. Delhi: Rajkamal Prakashan: (ISBN 978-81-267-2565-6) – Included in the Limca Book of Records.

Poetry:

Nanda, V. (2015) Raniyan Sab Janti Hain: Publisher: Vani Prakashan: ISBN 978-93-5072-976-2 (selected amongst TOP 5 books by Femina)

Nanda, V. (2012) Thee. Hoon.. Rahungi.... Delhi: Rajkamal Prakashan: ISBN 978-81-267-2232-7. (First collection of poems in the country on the issues of crimes against women) (received Dr Radha Krishnan Memorial Award & Rituraj Parampara Samman)

Nanda, V. (2011) Marjani: Publisher: Rajkamal Prakashan: ISBN 978-81-267-2098-9

Nanda, V. (1989) Madhur Dastak

Prominent Awards

  • 2005: Bharatendu Harishchandra Award by the Government of India.[17]
  • 2013: Stree Shakti Puraskar by the Government of India for her work on women's empowerment.[2]
  • 2015: Limca Book of Records for her book Tinka Tinka Tihar.[18]
  • 2017: Limca Book of Records for the song Tinka Tinka Tihar.[18]
  • 2022: Laadli Media Award for Tinka Jail Radio Podcast on District Jail, Karnal in Haryana [19][20]
  • 2023: Laadli Media Award for Tinka Jail Radio Podcast on Central Jail, Ambala in Haryana[21]
  • 2023: First Rajkumar Keswani Award for excellence in Journalism [22]

Selected Literary Interventions

  1. 2026: 1 February: Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala: Speaker at the Forum Hall at the 7th edition of the Mathrubhumi International Festival of Letters at Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala organised by Mathrubhumi. The panel was on the topic ‘Notes from Prison’ with Professor (Dr.) Vartika Nanda and Rishiraj Singh, IPS(retired) , former DG Prisons, Kerala as speakers. The panel was moderated by R Nishanthini, IPS (IG, Police Headquarters). The theme of the festival this year was ‘Paradox of Pace’. [All news in MBIFL 2026 - Mathrubhumi English | The Paradox of Freedom: Where walls remember and inmates redeem]
  2. 2025: 26 September, Patna: Bihar: National Representation: Patna, India: Sahitya Akademi represented India’s literary excellence through Unmesha – Festival of Expression, Asia’s largest literature festival, held at Samrat Ashoka Convention Centre, Patna, from 25–28 September, 2025. Professor (Dr.) Vartika Nanda participated as a speaker on 26 September, 2025, in the session titled Social Media and Literature held in Hall Sankaradeva. Other speakers included Gourahari Das, R. Venkatesh, and Utpal Kumar. Dr. Vartika Nanda: Media Educator & Prison Reformer: International Literature Festival at Patna: Sahitya Akademi: Unmesha
  3. 2022: 17 December : Invited as a speaker at Indore Literature Festival to speak on the topic- “Kiskee godi main hai media?” with Jaideep Karnik. Moderator: Harsh Vardhan Tripathi.
  4. 2018: Invited at the India Today Sahitya Varshiki 2018 to speak on Satta aur Sahitya ka Loktantra at Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts, New Delhi on November 17, 2018. Panellists included Ajith Kumar Jha, Piyush Babele and Sandeep dev. The panel was moderated by Anshuman Tiwari, Editor, India Today (Hindi).
  5. 2018: September 8, 201 Talk on Women in Jails and the Role of Media: Kalam and Prabha Khaitan Foundation: Hyatt Regency, Lucknow.
  6. 2018, September 1: Talk on Women Inside Jails and the Role of Media: Kalam & Prabha Khaitan Foundation in Pune
  7. 2014: Invited as a special guest to the Jaipur Literary Festival 2014, the biggest literary festival in the world, held in Jaipur every year. She was given the opportunity to moderate and participate in four sessions.
  8. 2014, Feb: Anchored and participated in different sessions at the International Book Fair organised by ITPO & Hindi Mahotsav
  9. 2014, April: Presented paper on the Role of Hindi in Mass Media at the International Regional Hindi Conference in New York, USA: Consulate General of India New York in association with New York University and Columbia
  10. 2012, September 25: The Role of Media & the Hindi Language: Vishwa Hindi Sammelan, Govt of India MEA, Govt of India Johannesburg: South Africa.

References

  1. ^ a b "Tihar jail inmates' song Tinka Tinka Tihar makes it to Limca Book of Records". Hindustan Times. 5 April 2017.
  2. ^ a b "Prez gives away Stree Shakti award". Indian Express. 10 March 2014. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  3. ^ Ashok Kumar (29 March 2021). "Inmates tune into new talents with 'Jail Radio'". The Hindu. Retrieved 16 January 2022.
    - "About Us". Tinka Tinka Prison Reforms.
  4. ^ https://pib.gov.in/newsite/erelcontent.aspx?relid=28170
  5. ^ https://www.police.gov.in/good-work/first-prison-radio-launched-haryana
  6. ^ "Welcome to National Book Trust India".
  7. ^ "New research to help streamline functioning of prisons". 28 August 2024.
  8. ^ "Panipat Jail Radio Revolution। तिनका जेल। Brut। Year 2022। Tinka Tinka Foundation। Vartika Nanda". YouTube. 3 January 2023.
  9. ^ Kissa Khaki Ka 2.0
  10. ^ "Dr. Vartika Nanda – Lady Shri Ram College".
  11. ^ "CWT - Vartika Nanda - HJ, Delhi - 1993-94 Batch #CampusWaleTeachers". Linkedin. IIMC Alumni Association. 6 February 2017. Retrieved 7 January 2018.
  12. ^ BRUT https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KN_Rox6gMAc&t=20s
  13. ^ "Bhartendu awards for 2004, 2005 given away". OneIndia. 23 May 2007.
  14. ^ Vartika Nanda (10 June 2019). "Prisons must do more to help their women inmates". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  15. ^ Swati Chaturvedi (15 December 2020). "Celebrating sunshine in a dimly lit world". Hindustan Times.
  16. ^ "Category: 2016". Tinka Tinka Prison Reforms. Archived from the original on 5 September 2017. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
    - Jagpreet Singh Sandhu (11 December 2018). "Tinka Tinka India Award: Murder convict feted for contribution to Burail jail kitchen". Indian Express.
  17. ^ Chopra, Akshat (15 August 2012). "She was, she is". The Hindu. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  18. ^ a b "Tihar jail inmates' song Tinka Tinka Tihar makes it to Limca Book of Records". Hindustan Times. 5 April 2017. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  19. ^ "Ladli Award: तिनका तिनका पॉडकास्ट को मिला प्रतिष्ठित लाडली मीडिया अवॉर्ड, इस श्रेणी में मिला पुरस्कार".
  20. ^ "Tinka Tinka Jail Radio Receives Laadli Media Award: Women inmates in Ambala Jail, Tinka Jail Radio is conceived & narrated by Dr. Vartika Nanda". 23 October 2023.
  21. ^ "Tinka Tinka Jail Radio Receives Laadli Media Award: Women inmates in Ambala Jail, Tinka Jail Radio is conceived & narrated by Dr. Vartika Nanda". 23 October 2023.
  22. ^ "डॉ. वर्तिका नंदा को मिला पहला राजकुमार केसवानी सम्मान, जानें कौन हैं ये?". 28 November 2023.
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