A Daily Mail Investigation into a teenager who died while locked in a legal battle with the NHS, was named the Best Investigation at the Asian Media Awards.
The report by Inderdeep Bains aimed to highlight the case of Sudiksha Thirumalesh.
Journalists and broadcasters joined actors and presenters at the 12th ceremony, which celebrates achievements in a range of categories in TV, radio, stage, online and creative media.
The ceremony is supported by the University of Salford and took place at the Hilton Manchester Deansgate on Friday October 25.
Through a series of compelling articles, Inderdeep brought the human element of Sudiksha’s legal struggle to light, transforming her into more than just a case number to a vibrant teenager with dreams and aspirations, trapped in a system seemingly designed to silence her.
Doctors has concluded treating the 19-year-old, who suffered from the same rare mitochondrial disease as baby Charlie Gard, was futile and life-sustaining treatment should be withdrawn.
Despite Sudiksha’s ability to communicate and express her desire to ‘die trying to live’, the NHS argued in court that her refusal to accept her prognosis was delusional and indicative of a lack of mental capacity.
A gagging order had shrouded the case in secrecy reducing Sudiksha’s identity to the initials ‘ST’. In the face of these legal limitations, Bains was committed to ensuring Sudiksha had a voice and that her story reached the public.
She challenged the gagging order and through a series of compelling articles, brought the human element of Sudiksha’s legal struggle to light, transforming her into more than just a case number to a vibrant teenager with dreams and aspirations.
The 2024 shortlist included:
Care Workers Under Pressure
Balakrishnan Balagopal for BBC Panorama, Producer/Director: Seamus Mirodan, Assistant Producer: Ghazal Abassi, Executive Producer: Leo Telling, Editor: Karen Wightman
McDonald’s Workers
Noor Nanji, Zoe Conway & Ellie Layhe for BBC News
People smugglers in Pakistan
Reha Kansara for BBC News
Undercover Inside Reform’s Campaign
Channel 4 News Investigations Unit and reported by Darshna Soni for Channel 4 News
Evacuation of critically ill children in Gaza
Reported by Rachel Younger and produced by Roohi Hasan for ITV News
