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{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2019}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Abhinandan Sekri
| image =
| image_size =
| caption = Abhinandan Sekri
| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1974}}
| birth_place =
| alma_mater = [[The Doon School]]<br>[[University of Delhi]]
| nationality = Indian
| occupation = Journalist <br/> Producer, director, actor
| known_for = Co-founder of ''[[Newslaundry]]'' <br> Producer, ''[[Highway on My Plate]]''
| children =
| awards = [[Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards|Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award]] (2015)
}}

'''Abhinandan Sekhri''' (born 4 August 1974) is the co-founder and CEO of ''[[Newslaundry]]'', a media critique, news and current affairs website.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://theprint.in/opinion/the-journey-of-bjps-sambit-patra-from-a-trained-surgeon-to-a-nasty-tv-star/167544/|title=The journey of BJP's Sambit Patra from a trained surgeon to a nasty TV star|first=Kaveree|last=Bamzai|date=22 December 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.livemint.com/Opinion/wezx5YVSz0kIE6EOxU5ZhL/The-big-digital-paywall-question.html|title=The big digital paywall question|first=Shuchi|last=Bansal|date=27 October 2016|website=Livemint}}</ref>
==Education==
Sekhri was educated at [[The Doon School]] in [[Dehradun]], India, and then obtained a [[bachelor's degree]] in economics from [[Hansraj College]], [[University of Delhi]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.orfonline.org/tackling-insurgent-ideologies-edition-2/speakers/|title=Speakers | Tackling Insurgent Ideologies 2.0|website=ORF}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newslaundry.com/2014/09/02/the-boys-boarding-bogie|title=The Boys Boarding Bogey|first=Abhinandan|last=Sekhri|website=Newslaundry}}</ref>

== Career ==
Before founding Newslaundry, he worked as a producer, director and writer in television and film projects, including [[Highway On My Plate|''Highway on my Plate'']],<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus/singh-on-the-street/article2419356.ece|title=Singh on the street!|last=Kumar|first=Anuj|date=3 September 2011|newspaper=The Hindu|access-date=8 August 2019|language=en}}</ref> which he co-produced and directed; and news-satire show ''Gustaakhi Maaf''.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-sunetra-choudhury-all-the-inside-juice-from-anna-s-reality-show-1580147|title=Sunetra Choudhury: All the inside juice from Anna's reality show {{!}} Latest News & Updates at Daily News & Analysis|date=2011-08-27|work=dna|access-date=2017-03-31|language=en-US}}</ref> He is also a co-founder and trustee in Delhi-based [[non-governmental organisation]] (NGO) [[Public Cause Research Foundation|PCRF]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.pcrf.in/aboutus.html|title=Public Cause Research Foundation {{!}} About {{!}} People's empowerment through transparent, accountable governance.|website=www.pcrf.in|access-date=2017-03-31|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141213111849/http://www.pcrf.in/aboutus.html|archive-date=2014-12-13|url-status=dead}}</ref> He was the executive producer for ''Chase'', a documentary series by [[ScoopWhoop]]. He regularly delivers lectures and hosts panel discussions on journalism, [[Right to Information Act, 2005|RTI]], and the importance and independence of media.

=== ''Newstrack'' and ''AajTak'' (1996–1999) ===
In April 1996, he started working as a correspondent for [[TV Today Network]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pragyan.org/16/home/lectures/crossfire/abhinandan_sekhri/|title=Pragyan 16 - Abhinandan Sekhri|website=www.pragyan.org|access-date=2017-03-31}}</ref> He reported for ''Newstrack'', a weekly current affairs programme, and for the evening bulletin of ''[[Aaj Tak]]'', along with morning show ''Good Morning Today''.

=== Production, direction and writing career & Small Screen (2000–2014) ===
He worked as a camera assistant<ref>{{Citation|last=Shah|first=Naseeruddin|title=Monsoon Wedding|date=2002-04-26|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0265343/fullcredits?ref_=tt_cl_sm#cast|last2=Dubey|last3=Shetty|last4=Raaz|first2=Lillete|first3=Shefali|first4=Vijay|accessdate=2017-03-31}}</ref> on [[Mira Nair]]’s award-winning feature film ''[[Monsoon Wedding]]'' which was a Mirabai production. ''Monsoon Wedding'' went on to win the 2002 [[British Independent Film Awards|British Independent Film Award]] for [[British Independent Film Awards 2002#Best Foreign Film - Foreign Language|Best Foreign Independent Film – Foreign Language]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bifa.film/awards/nominations/2002/best-foreign-independent---foreign-language|title=Best Foreign Independent - Foreign language - Nominations - Awards 2002 - BIFA - The British Independent Film Awards|last=BIFA|website=www.bifa.film|access-date=2017-03-31|date=24 October 2002}}</ref> He then worked as Assistant Director<ref>{{Citation|last=Tabu|first=Meghna|title=Filhaal...|date=2002-02-01|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0307866/fullcredits?ref_=tt_cl_sm#cast|last2=Sen|last3=Suri|last4=Sen|first2=Sushmita|first3=Sanjay|first4=Palash|accessdate=2017-03-31}}</ref> on ''[[Filhaal...|Filhaal]]'' (2000), an Indian feature film produced by Jhamu Sugandh and directed by [[Meghna Gulzar]].

He produced, scripted and co-directed documentary film ''Chadar'' along with Prashant Sareen on a winter trade route in the Zanskar valley of Ladakh. ''Chadar'' went on to win the Best Travel Documentary Award at the EVEO Spring Fest, 2000 at San Francisco<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=http://www.cmsvatavaran.org/vatavaran2003/the_festival/water/2.htm|title=Vatavaran 2003: Festival Entries|website=www.cmsvatavaran.org|access-date=2017-03-31}}</ref> and received a Special Jury Prize at Okinawa, Japan in 2001.<ref name=":2" /> He went on to produce and direct several other documentary films including ''Goonj'', a six part series on innovations in agriculture and ''Daring to Dream'', a documentary film about three children in rural Rajasthan. He co-directed and co-scripted documentary films ''Shared Spaces''<ref>{{Citation|last=PSBT India|title=Shared Spaces|date=2016-12-21|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rmk8RVzVgTk|website=YouTube|accessdate=2017-03-31}}</ref> (a film on religious diversity) and ''Temples of Water''<ref>{{Citation|last=PSBT India|title=Temples of Water|date=2016-12-21|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azv37opjVMQ|website=YouTube|accessdate=2017-03-31}}</ref> (a documentary film on the water harvesting movement in Rajasthan). ''Temples of Water'' was screened at the UNESCO - PSBT Documentary film festival in Delhi in August 2003.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://portal.unesco.org/ci/en/files/12253/10675955651open_frame_report.rtf/open_frame_report.rtf |title=UNESCO - PSBT Documentary film festival |access-date=31 March 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151103183920/http://portal.unesco.org/ci/en/files/12253/10675955651open_frame_report.rtf/open_frame_report.rtf |archive-date=3 November 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In 2000, Sekhri co-founded Small Screen,<ref>[http://small-screen.com/ Small Screen]</ref> a<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://small-screen.com/awards-winning-movies/|title=Awards {{!}} Small Screen|website=small-screen.com|language=en-US|access-date=2017-03-31|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170331215844/http://small-screen.com/awards-winning-movies/|archive-date=31 March 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> Delhi-based agency that provides audio video production services for television, digital and film-based platforms. Sekhri was the Chief script writer for Double Take and Gustakhi Maaf,<ref name=":1" /> a political satire show that aired on [[NDTV]]. The show won awards at the [[Indian Television Academy Awards#Best Interstiatial.2FFiller|Indian Television Academy Awards]] (2004) and the [[Indian Telly Awards]] (2004).<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://tellyawards.indiantelevision.com/y2k4/tradewin2004.htm|title=The Indian Telly Awards 2004 : The Statuette|website=tellyawards.indiantelevision.com|access-date=2017-03-31|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304025300/http://tellyawards.indiantelevision.com/y2k4/tradewin2004.htm|archive-date=4 March 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>

He was the producer, director and scriptwriter for ''[[Highway On My Plate|Highway on my Plate]]''<ref name=":0" /> which was a travel and food show that ran from 2007 to 2011 on [[NDTV Good Times]]. The show won the 'Best Travel Show' at the [[Indian Telly Awards]], 2008.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://goodtimes.ndtv.com/features/ndtv-good-times-a-winner-all-the-way-1227008|title=NDTV Good Times, a winner all the way! – NDTV|website=goodtimes.ndtv.com|access-date=2017-03-31}}</ref> In 2013, Sekhri co-produced ''Jai Hind with Rocky and Mayur'',<ref>[http://goodtimes.ndtv.com/tv-shows/jai-hind-with-rocky-and-mayur-501 Jai Hind with Rocky and Mayur]</ref> a show about life in the Armed Forces. He was also the director of the 2014 six-part series, ''Vital Stats of India''<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.historyindia.com/shows/120411 |title=Vital Stats of India |access-date=31 March 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170331210210/https://www.historyindia.com/shows/120411 |archive-date=31 March 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref> on the [[The History Channel (India)|History Channel]], that presented information about India and Indians.

=== ''Newslaundry'' (2012–present) ===
In 2012, Sekhri, along with [[Madhu Trehan]], Roopak Kapoor and Prashant Sareen, founded ''[[Newslaundry]]'', a media critique, news and current affairs website. The news organisation does not carry advertisements and runs on a subscription-based model.<ref name="Newslaundry">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newslaundry.com/about#ownership|title=About Newslaundry|work=Newslaundry|access-date=2017-03-31|language=en-us|archive-date=6 January 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200106203816/https://www.newslaundry.com/about#ownership|url-status=dead}}</ref> Newslaundry's Manisha Pande, along with Sandeep Pai won the 2015 [[Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards|Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award]] for investigative reporting. Abhinandan is currently the full-time CEO of ''Newslaundry''.

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Sekhri, Abhinandan}}
[[Category:1974 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Indian company founders]]
[[Category:Indian television producers]]
[[Category:Indian documentary film directors]]
[[Category:Indian journalists]]
[[Category:The Doon School alumni]]
[[Category:University of Delhi alumni]]

Abhinandan Sekhri - Revision history

WikiDwarf at 17:10, 30 April 2021