The Pulitzer Prize was accepted on behalf of Danish Siddiqui by his children, a Reuter’s photojournalist. In July of last year, Danish Siddiqui was killed while reporting on the conflict in Afghanistan. Children of the late Danish Siddiqui, Yunus Siddiqui, 6, and Sarah Siddiqui, 4, received the honour in a moving ceremony in New York.
Danish Siddiqui was killed while covering the conflict between Afghan forces and the Taliban in Kandahar city. Danish Siddiqui, who extensively covered conflicts around the world, had won the Pulitzer Prize in 2018 for feature photography for documenting the Rohingya refugee crisis.
The jury had stated that Danish Siddiqui’s “balanced intimacy and tragedy, while affording viewers a heightened feeling of place,” had earned him his second Pulitzer Prize.
Akhtar Siddiqui, Danish’s father, had then said that he was happy to see his son’s work being recognised. “Danish is no longer with us today, but he continues to make us proud and happy. The Pulitzer award is recognition for his hard work, dedication, and value-based journalism,” Akhtar Siddiqui had said.
Danish Siddiqui travelled to remote areas in Bhagalpur and spent time in the wards during the peak of India’s Covid pandemic, his father said.
“He has two small children and there was always the risk of the spread of the virus. Yet, nothing deterred him from covering the suffering of the people across the country,” he had said.