Nepali journalist among finalists for WMS Global Awards for Excellence

A senior media correspondent from Nepal has been selected as a finalist for the News Professionals in Developing Countries category at the WMS Global Awards for Excellence 2014, the World Media Summit secretariat announced on Sunday.

The WMS Global Awards for Excellence, launched by the World Media Summit (WMS), have attracted worldwide attention and participation.

Surendra Paudel is the only Nepali national to have emerged as a finalist in a competition with more than 400 entrants from 90 different countries.

The journalist was selected for exposing the struggles of Nepali migrant workers fleeing to the United States lured by job prospects and economic prosperity. His investigative story comes at a time when the number of Nepali people being smuggled to foreign countries by local brokers is skyrocketing.

"I wanted to draw attention on the considerable risks that many Nepalese are ready to take to reach developed countries such as the United States in search of what they perceive as a better life, " Paudel said in an interview with Xinhua.

Prateek Pradhan, Editor-in-Chief at Nagarik News, felicitated Paudel for being among the finalists selected by the panel of judges in China for the award.

The WMS Global Awards for Excellence reward honor "truth, objectivity and excellence" in journalism.

There are three categories: New Media Reporting Award, Media Innovation Award and Awards for Public Welfare, which include two sub-categories: Award for Exemplary News Teams in Developing Countries and Award for Exemplary News Professionals in Developing Countries, according to the WMS secretariat.

Judging is currently underway at the WMS secretariat with the results to be announced tomorrow.