The Xylom’s Nepal Gen-Z Protests Reporting Wins South Asian Journalists Association Award

The South Asian Journalists Association has named The Xylom contributor tanka dhakal the winner of a 2026 SAJA Award, which honors excellence in U.S. and Canadian journalists of South Asian backgrounds, as well as coverage of issues related to South Asia worldwide. “Nepal’s Air Got More Toxic During Gen-Z Protests” won the Outstanding Student Journalism Award.

The judges wrote:

This was a well-told package spotlighting a problem that has implications beyond Nepal. We applaud Dhakal for showing the link between air quality issues in Nepal and those in the United States. The writer made good use of statistics, personal anecdotes and facts to tell the story. The article also had stunning art and packaging.

“I was engaged with the story all the way through,” said one judge.

The honor marks the first SAJA Awards win for The Xylom, and the first journalism award of any kind for tanka.

On September 8th, 2025, Nepali youth staged massive protests against corruption, unemployment, and the government’s decision to ban 26 social media platforms. The movement resulted in the resignation of Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli, paving the way for the Balen Shah government – elected at age 36, Shah is the world's youngest serving state leader.

After deadly police violence, including the indiscriminate use of tear gas, protesters responded by setting the Parliament, the Supreme Court, ministers’ homes, and police stations on fire; 74 people were killed, and hundreds were injured. For the next month, hospitals in Nepal witnessed a surge in patients with respiratory problems.

tanka, a Nepal native who was pursuing an M.S. in Media at Indiana University Bloomington with a focus on climate and environment reporting at the time, spent hours after class reviewing research studies, analyzing air quality data, and interviewing ill Kathmandu residents, small business owners, hospital staff, air pollution experts, and government officials.

tanka anchored the reporting in the experiences of residents in Kathmandu, who have been directly impacted by tear gas and smoke. He documented the symptoms of those seeking medical attention, explained how the Nepali capital’s topology traps smoke for hours or even days due to limited wind and frequent temperature inversions, and compared the aftermath of the Gen Z protests with that of the 9/11 attacks in New York, the 2020 George Floyd protests across the United States, and ICE’s use of chemical munitions on protesters in Portland, Ore.

Congratulations to the team for the recognition of their hard work: tanka dhakal (reporting); Barsha Shah (photography); and Laasya Shekhar and Alex Ip (editing). Congratulations, too, to all of this year’s SAJA Awards winners.