Meghana Choukkar

Journalist and Researcher

[Frontline @frontline_india]

NEW | Karnataka’s Form 7 scam

With 91,278 Form 7s filed in Karnataka between June 16 and October 4, mostly against legitimate Muslim voters, multiple FIRs have been filed against the objectors. But the question remains: who orchestrated the mass deletions? Meghana Choukkar (@meg_chow) reports.

https://t.co/mTZquOsBDv

[BehanBox @BehanBox]

@tnzl_ @SabarInstitute_ @BanerjeeSanhati 6/ In this personal essay, @meg_chow wrote about the realities and challenges of navigating SIR on the ground as a citizen volunteer, and what it means for democracy when citizenship itself becomes an existential test: https://t.co/qbp2UmBhVO

[The Caravan Hindi @thecaravanhindi]

कारवां के जनवरी-मार्च ‘26 अंक (मीडिया विशेषांक) में | राजदीप सरदेसाई की संतुलनवादी पत्रकारिता की मुश्किलें (अमृता सिंह, @singhamritaa ), हिंदी संसार की दरिद्रता से टकराती समयांतर पत्रिका के 26 साल (विष्णु शर्मा, @hellovishnu ), आउटलुक के पतन की दास्तान (शाहिद तांत्रे, @shahidtantray ), अंग्रेज़ी रोमांस फ़िक्शन में लव जिहाद (माया पालित,
@mayapalit1 ), आरएसएस के सच पर पर्दा डालता वॉशिंगटन पोस्ट (धीरेंद्र के झा), कर्नाटक के एक वैकल्पिक अख़बार वार्ता भारती की कहानी (मेघना चौक्कर,@meg_chow ), फ़ोटो फ़ीचर और किताब घर में ख़ास किताबें.
जनवरी-मार्च 2026 का अंक अब सभी ग्राहकों के लिए ऑनलाइन उपलब्ध है. प्रिंट संस्करण की प्रतियां प्रिंट सब्सक्राइबर्स को भेजी जाएंगी और कुछ ही दिनों में विभिन्न स्थानों पर न्यूज़स्टैंड पर उपलब्ध होंगी.
पढ़ने के लिए सबस्क्राइब करें: https://t.co/QdkAsmlD2e

[The Caravan Hindi @thecaravanhindi]

कारवां के जनवरी-मार्च ‘26 अंक (मीडिया विशेषांक) में | राजदीप सरदेसाई की संतुलनवादी पत्रकारिता की मुश्किलें (अमृता सिंह,
@singhamritaa ), हिंदी संसार की दरिद्रता से टकराती समयांतर पत्रिका के 26 साल (विष्णु शर्मा, @hellovishnu ), आउटलुक के पतन की दास्तान (शाहिद तांत्रे, @shahidtantray ), अंग्रेज़ी रोमांस फिक्शन में लव जिहाद (माया पालित, @mayapalit1 ), आरएसएस के सच पर पर्दा डालता वॉशिंगटन पोस्ट (धीरेन्द्र के झा), कर्नाटक के एक वैकल्पिक अख़बार वार्ता भारती की कहानी (मेघना चौक्कर,
@meg_chow ), फ़ोटो फ़ीचर और किताब घर में ख़ास किताबें. जनवरी-मार्च 2026 का अंक अब सभी ग्राहकों के लिए ऑनलाइन उपलब्ध है. प्रिंट संस्करण की प्रतियां प्रिंट सब्सक्राइबर्स को भेजी जाएंगी और कुछ ही दिनों में विभिन्न स्थानों पर न्यूज़स्टैंड पर उपलब्ध होंगी.
पत्रिका को सबस्क्राइब करें : https://t.co/QdkAsml5cG

[The Caravan Hindi @thecaravanhindi]

कारवां के जनवरी-मार्च ‘26 अंक (मीडिया विशेषांक) में | राजदीप सरदेसाई की संतुलनवादी पत्रकारिता की मुश्किलें (अमृता सिंह, @singhamritaa ), हिंदी संसार की दरिद्रता से टकराती समयांतर पत्रिका के 26 साल (विष्णु शर्मा, @hellovishnu ), आउटलुक के पतन की दास्तान (शाहिद तांत्रे, @shahidtantray ), अंग्रेज़ी रोमांस फिक्शन में लव जिहाद (माया पालित, @mayapalit1 ), आरएसएस के सच पर पर्दा डालता वॉशिंगटन पोस्ट (धीरेन्द्र के झा), कर्नाटक के एक वैकल्पिक अख़बार वार्ता भारती की कहानी (मेघना चौक्कर, @meg_chow ), फ़ोटो फ़ीचर और किताब घर में ख़ास किताबें. जनवरी-मार्च 2026 का अंक अब सभी ग्राहकों के लिए ऑनलाइन उपलब्ध है. प्रिंट संस्करण की प्रतियां प्रिंट सब्सक्राइबर्स को भेजी जाएंगी और कुछ ही दिनों में विभिन्न स्थानों पर न्यूज़स्टैंड पर उपलब्ध होंगी. पत्रिका को सबस्क्राइब करें : https://t.co/QdkAsmlD2e

[The Caravan @thecaravanindia]

Vartha Bharati’s greatest challenge is raising enough money to sustain the newspaper and its digital operations—its websites, social media and YouTube shows. The newspaper has strikingly few advertisements—government or private. With circulation far lower than that of other major statewide Kannada newspapers, not many private businesses advertise with it.

The story of this alternative newspaper, defending its existence in a hostile political and media landscape, offers an insight into independent journalism in India outside English and Hindi media. Report by Meghana Choukkar (@meg_chow): https://t.co/pbfqzSm6PC

[The Caravan @thecaravanindia]

On several occasions, when the BJP has attempted to stir communal tensions in Karnataka with baseless allegations, Vartha Bharati has done ground reports to bring the facts to light. For instance, in July 2017, the BJP MP Shobha Karandlaje wrote a letter to the union home minister with a list of 23 names of RSS, BJP and Hindu activists who had been murdered by “jihadi elements” in the state.

Vartha Bharati claimed to be one of the first to interview Ashok Poojary, who was on the list but very much alive. This was later reported by other publications. Civil-society groups have noted that, during episodes of violence, such as the 2008 attack on churches over allegations of forced conversions, Vartha Bharati’s coverage was balanced, whereas other major papers were “accused of deliberate partisanship."

Report by Meghana Choukkar (@meg_chow): https://t.co/pbfqzSlz04

[The Caravan @thecaravanindia]

A Nondescript building in the Kankanady neighbourhood of Mangaluru, above a bustling branch of Canara Bank, houses Vartha Bharati’s head office, where the majority of the newspaper’s editorial team is based. Proudly displayed near the reception are posters bearing testimonials, including one by the Kannada writer and Jnanpith awardee UR Ananthamurthy, who says, “The media is capable of protecting our humanity. Vartha Bharati’s editorials these days are very dear to me. My hope is that this newspaper, which is currently superior in quality to all Kannada dailies, should grow without making any compromises.”

Report by Meghana Choukkar (@meg_chow): https://t.co/pbfqzSm6PC

[The Caravan @thecaravanindia]

The 1980s and 1990s saw an uptick in communal polarisation in coastal Karnataka, fuelled by the Ram Janmabhoomi campaign and the growth of vigilante groups such as the Bajrang Dal and Hindu Jagarana Vedike. Rumours of all kinds—about Muslim men misbehaving with Hindu women, insults to Hindu culture, and allegations of forced conversions—added to the tense environment in this period.

“After Janavahini closed down, there was a gap, and there were intense communal activities in this period,” Phaniraj said. “There was no media in the region to reflect the reality. The brunt of this was felt by the Muslims.” Vartha Bharati, he added, was an attempt to revive the tradition of alternative media in coastal Karnataka.

The story of this alternative newspaper, defending its existence in a hostile political and media landscape, offers an insight into independent journalism in India outside English and Hindi media.

Report by Meghana Choukkar (@meg_chow): https://t.co/pbfqzSm6PC

[The Caravan @thecaravanindia]

Open Access | The Sangh is neither infinite nor unknowable. A special investigation that Felix Pal helped lead, conducted over a period of six years, with data now housed at Science Po’s Centre de recherches internationales, and fact-checked and released by The Caravan, has constructed the world’s first network map of the RSS, revealing over twenty-five hundred organisations with concrete, traceable, material ties leading to the Sangh.

What the world’s first network map of the RSS, revealing over twenty-five hundred organisations with concrete, traceable, material ties leading to the organisation, tell us about how the Sangh functions, Felix Pal (@FelixPal8) explains: https://t.co/OolKtfVM69

Explore the network map here: https://t.co/OxrS9glyI7

[The Caravan @thecaravanindia]

“Where we actually need ten people, we are trying to manage with five or six,” Muslim said. During our nearly two-hour conversation in their Mangaluru head office, Muslim, who is in charge of digital news in addition to his CEO duties, was interrupted every fifteen or twenty minutes by the many demands of a newsroom. Apologetic, he told me, “We are a small team, so we have to look after many things.” There are over two hundred employees across the state on the company’s payroll, including freelancers and stringers. Several staff members are former Janavahini employees who, like Basheer, have been with Vartha Bharati since the beginning.

Report by Meghana Choukkar (@meg_chow): https://t.co/pbfqzSlz04

[The Caravan @thecaravanindia]

The story of this alternative newspaper, defending its existence in a hostile political and media landscape, offers an insight into independent journalism in India outside English and Hindi media.

Report by Meghana Choukkar (@meg_chow): https://t.co/N1cVDo1RpD

[Meghana Choukkar @meg_chow]

Read my profile of @varthabharati in the latest issue of @thecaravanindia!

[The Caravan @thecaravanindia]

The Fine Print: The story of an alternative newspaper in Karnataka

Report by Meghana Choukkar (@meg_chow): https://t.co/N1cVDo2pfb

[Dr. sanjay kumar @SanjayatwsKumar]

Do read @meg_chow
#caste #Ambedkar #CasteCensus
Anti-Caste Counterculture Is Gradually Taking Root in UK Universities https://t.co/v1NRjMnVY7

[DILIP LOHIA @DILIPLOHIA]

An Anti-Caste Counterculture Is Gradually Taking Root in UK Universities https://t.co/XNu5DeNffU

[SOAS Ambedkar Society @SoasAmbedkarSoc]

Thanks you Meghna and @thewire_in for acknowledging work of Ambedkar Society.
@SOAS @soassu @BhosaleAbhi90 @PoMoGandhi @JensLerche @jaffrelotc

https://t.co/OmLr4kJ6vS

[Rahul Rao @thariel]

An Anti-Caste Counterculture Is Gradually Taking Root in UK Universities https://t.co/xqItjdVODB

brilliant piece! i was so privileged to see some of this unfold at SOAS and to learn from its students

[ACDA @ACDAnews]

A very fine assessment of the developing anti-caste culture in UK universities by @meg_chow. Thank you for shining a light on this important movement.
@DavidAltonHL @GlenysThornton @HackneyAbbott @baronessroyal @SantoshDass1048
@DrRajChand

[Dhaneswar Bhoi, PhD, Post Doc @dhaneswar]

Hugo & I are excited to share that we are organising a workshop titled "Doing Caste" at the University of Edinburgh-Online. Please visit the following link and send your abstract: [https://t.co/9eCUULu0ZI]

[James Barnett @jh_barnett]

The new volume of @HudsonInstitute's journal Current Trends in Islamist Ideology is out with insightful studies of Islamic State branches across SE Asia, DRC, and Mozambique; Muslim political reactions to Hindutva; Ahmet Davutoğlu's philosophy; and more!

https://t.co/cNzygluAhr