Tanish Sharma, a Class IX student of Auckland House School for Boys, has secured the eighth best journalist position in the finals of the first Invitational India Investigative Journalism Competition for Young Journalists, organised by the Centre for Investigative Journalism (CIJ), New Delhi, in collaboration with the Global Investigative Journalism Network (GIJN).
Tanish competed against more than 25,000 participants from across India, including professional journalists, earning a place among the country’s top performers. His award-winning investigative article examined the continuing practice of caste-based discrimination, a socially-sensitive subject that required extensive fieldwork, interviews and careful documentation. He says that working on the story exposed him to the realities of investigative reporting, where earning people’s trust and presenting facts objectively proved as important as writing itself. He described the experience as one of the most valuable learning opportunities of his young career.
Tanish hails from Rohru in Shimla district and has steadily established himself as a promising young writer. He is the self-published author of three books — The Trapped Soul, The Stupid and the Annoyed and Everyday Facade, an essay collection inspired by his observations of everyday life and society. Besides writing, he has also performed open-mic comedy at various cafés in Shimla, reflecting his passion for communication and public engagement.
He credits veteran journalist Ravish Kumar as his biggest inspiration. He says Ravish’s style of people-centric journalism shaped his understanding of the profession. Political analyst Yogendra Yadav has also influenced his thinking, particularly his emphasis on grassroots-level realities and informed public discourse.
Tanish says that while journalism remains an enduring passion, he plans to pursue law as his undergraduate degree before preparing for the Civil Services Examination. He believes legal education will provide a strong foundation for public service while complementing his interest in governance and constitutional values.
He also plans to become a regular newspaper columnist and continue to write on issues affecting society.
“A journalist’s responsibility is not to showcase his own knowledge but to simplify complex issues for ordinary people. When citizens understand issues clearly, they can make informed decisions and that is how journalism contributes to a better society,” he adds.
