New Delhi, (Ishan samvad): In a historic moment for Indian journalism, the Press Club of India (PCI) on Sunday elected senior journalist Sangeeta Barooah Pisharoty as its first woman President, marking a significant milestone in the institution’s journey toward gender equality and inclusive leadership.
The elections, held on December 13, witnessed a sweeping victory for Pisharoty’s panel, which secured all office-bearer and Managing Committee positions, recording an emphatic 21–0 clean sweep.
Pisharoty won the presidential contest with a massive mandate, securing 1,019 votes, while her rivals Atul Mishra and Arun Sharma received 129 and 89 votes, respectively.
For the post of Secretary-General, Afzal Imam registered a decisive win by polling 948 votes, comfortably defeating Gyan Prakash, who secured 290 votes.
In the vice-presidential race, Jatin Gandhi emerged victorious with 1,029 votes, defeating his nearest rival Prahlad Singh Rajput by a margin of over 900 votes.
Meanwhile, Aditi Rajput (Treasurer) and PR Sunil (Joint Secretary) were elected unopposed.
The results were formally announced in the evening at the PCI lawns by Chief Election Commissioner MMC Sharma and his team, in the presence of a large gathering of journalists.
Managing Committee Results
In the elections for the 16-member Managing Committee, Niraj Kumar topped the list with 932 votes, followed by:
Abhishek Kumar Singh (911), Jahanvi Sen (903), Ashok Kaushik (892), Kallol Bhattacharjee (882), Praveen Jain (878), Agraj Pratap Singh (865), Manoj Sharma (861), Nyanima Basu (851), PB Suresh (838), VP Pandey (833), Prem Bahukhandi (831), Sneha Bhura (829), Javed Akhtar (823), Rezaul Hasan Laskar (781), and Sunil Kumar (780).
Reacting to her victory, Pisharoty said,
“This mandate reflects the collective confidence of PCI members in our panel’s vision and our long-standing commitment to free, fair, and responsible journalism.”
Outgoing PCI President Gautam Lahiri thanked the members for their trust and expressed confidence that the new leadership would make the club more inclusive and responsive to the evolving challenges faced by journalists.
Former Secretary-General Neeraj Thakur termed the election of PCI’s first woman President a powerful symbol of progress, reaffirming the institution’s commitment to equality, diversity, and democratic values.
