Women strike gold in Pune Union of Working Journalists elections
While Namrata Phadnis (Kesari) was elected to the post of vice-president, Sushma Neharkar (Pudhari), Poonam Kate Kolapure (Aaj Ka Anand) and Urmilla Hirve (Sakal) were elected to the executive body.
The Jayalalitha-Mamta election magic seems to have rubbed off on Pune as well, All four Pune women journalists who contested elections to the Pune Union of Working Journalists (PUWJ) for 2011-12 romped home victorious.
While Namrata Phadnis (Kesari) was elected to the post of vice-president, Sushma Neharkar (Pudhari), Poonam Kate Kolapure (Aaj Ka Anand) and Urmilla Hirve (Sakal) were elected to the executive body.
Umesh Ghongde, working with the Marathi daily Sakal, and Prasad Kulkarni of The Times of India were already elected unopposed to the post of president and general secretary respectively. Ajay Kamble (India TV) is the second vice-president. Rajendra Patil (Sarvamat) and Kaka Shedge (Sakal) were also elected unopposed to the post of secretary. Chaitanya Machale (Prabhat) is the new treasurer. The elected members of the executive committee are Sandeep Daundkar (The Indian Express), Yogiraj Prabhune (Maharashtra Times), Abhijit Thite (Maharashtra Times), Ganesh Kore (Agrowon), Pandurang Sandbhor (Pudhari) and Swapnil Bapat (Saam TV).