MANDEEP AND SAHILDEEP
Jagjit Singh Anand Memorial Award Winner-2026

Duniya Channel began with the farmers’ movement. At that time, Sahildeep was already stationed at the Tikri border, while Mandeep, with the Inqalabi Kavishri Jatha of Rasulpur, was presenting revolutionary compositions on stages in villages, towns, and at the Delhi borders. Mandeep had earlier completed an M.A. in Journalism. Sahil, too, aspired to pursue journalism.

During that period, large media houses were speaking the language of those in power, and some web channels had also begun operations. However, many new Punjabi web channels started chasing views by targeting the leaders of the farmers’ movement, thereby strengthening the narrative of the ruling establishment. It was then that Mandeep and Sahildeep realised how essential it was to take people’s issues to the public through media, especially social media.

They had only a simple mobile phone, and Navreet Sivia of Akhar Channel provided them with a collar microphone. They began uploading videos of the farmers’ struggle on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram, and the response exceeded all expectations. Farmers, workers, intellectuals, and others across Punjab were watching them seriously, encouraging them, and also expecting quality journalism from them.

A major challenge was improving the quality of their work while doing it, since they were  a small team with limited resources. Yet supporters of the movement and the intellectual community ensured there was no shortage of resources or guidance. Duniya Channel highlighted progressive voices, took up issues of the common people, and produced videos on scientific and rational themes that sparked constructive debate in society. Marginalized sections of society were given special space on the channel. Duniya Channel has also succeeded in breaking the myth that only superficial content can thrive on social media.