Matters India editor selected for ICPA journalism award

By Thomas Scaria

Mangaluru, Aug 22, 2023: Indian Catholic Press Association (ICPA), a premier association of Catholic journalists in the country, will honor Jose Kavi, noted journalist, writer, and editor with its prestigious Louis Careno National Award for “Excellence in Journalism.”

An ICPA press release on August 22 says the jury commended Kavi for being an example of “crusading independent journalism in the cause of truth.”

The award will be conferred on Kavi during the ICPA’S 28th National Convention of Christian Journalists in Kochi on September 23.

Kavi is the founder of Matters India news portal and currently its CEO.

Several senior journalists trained by Kavi welcomed the award saying it was a “very deserving and timely honor” for a veteran journalist and a role model.

Salesian Father C M Paul, former editor of The Herald and founder director of Radio Salesian, said Kavi is the “most loved veteran journos in the national capital.”

“Scores of cub journalists have benefited from his teaching and mentoring, making him a role model in journalism,” said Father Paul, who worked with Kavi for years when he headed the India office of the Union of Catholic Asian News (UCAN).

The ICPA press release says Kavi had built up a network of professional journalists covering entire India during his 25 years with UCAN.

Periodic ongoing training was part of the UCAN culture. “No wonder, many UCAN journalists became internationally reputed investigative journalists and many migrated to secular media, with the Gospel values alive in their hearts,” the press release added.

Kavi has played a crucial role in professionalizing the Church-based news agencies. In the last four decades he has made a mark in both secular journalism and in reporting on the Christian world, the jury observed.

Kavi entered the media world in 1982 as the first in-service trainee journalist of SAR-News (South Asian Religious News), managed by the ICPA.

The three phases of his professional life have been with the United News of India, a major news agency of its time; UCAN, a pioneering Catholic News Service in Asia; and now Matters India, a news portal of great credibility which was launched 11 years ago. Matters India is seen as a window to the Christian world by secular observers.

Daughters of St Paul Sister Lissy Maruthanakuzhy, who has worked with Kavi since 1983, says his friendly dealings has helped him maintain a good network of journalists.

Through the UCAN training programs, Kavi could form a group of committed journalists capable of contributing to international news agencies. Credit goes to him for bringing to light many stories of religious sisters who work among the marginalized or in remote Indian villages, she said.

“The creation of matters India shows his courage to take risk and his commitment to bring to light life and activities of the Church and of inspiring individuals in various places,” Sister Maruthanakuzhy added.

Saji Thomas, a senior UCAN journalist who too has worked with Kavi, said “the great honor” was “overdue for him.” As an editor he never compromised with the contents of a news story and ensured that every story is attributed well with quotes from all the parties concerned, Thomas observed.

Kavi “always encouraged the reporters in all possible ways to bring the best out of them and he treats his subordinates as his family members,” he added.

Matters India was a heroic attempt on his part to redefine Church media, regardless of personal pains and sufferings.

ICPA, headed by Ignatius Gonsalves as its president, and Capuchin Father Suresh Mathew as secretary, also commented that Matters India has boldly reported about the atrocities committed against the Church, its institutions, Dalits, Tribals and the marginalized.

“At a time when Church media used to be dubbed as singing hosanna to priests and the hierarchy, Mr. Kavi dared to correct it, without ever coming to the limelight,” the jury observed.

“He is an unassuming modest person who shuns the limelight, a rare quality among professional Journalists,” they added.

Claretian Father George Kannanthanam says Kavi has balanced his writings and editing between social, religious, and economic spheres.

“Jose Kavi has been able to connect them through his writings and other media initiatives, benefiting all of them. This award is a recognition of his creative and successful efforts in this area,” added the social activist priest.

Ivan Fernandes, one of the previous editors of UCAN in Bangkok, too said the award was a “recognition long overdue.” He counted Kavi among the four people who shaped “my journalism journey, and Jose Kavi is the foundation, besides Horace Rosario, Vincent D’Souza, and Bob Astorino,” he recalled.

Jesuit Father Horace was the editor of Calcutta’s The Herald weekly, D’Souza is the pioneer of neighborhood journalism in India and Maryknoll Father Astorino was founder editor of UCAN.

Jessy Joseph, who worked with Kavi for nearly two decades, recalled him as a big brother to everyone, who treated all like his family members and trained them as the best journalists. “He deserves it more than anyone else,” she said, referring to the ICPA award.

Kavi is married to Rosamma, Chief Nursing Officer with New Delhi’s BLK-Max Hospital, has children – Ashish, a marketing professional, Reitu Prakash, his wife, and Archana Kavi, an award-winning movie actress in southern India.