Channel 4 News Communities Editor, Darshna Soni was named 2025 Journalist of the Year at the Asian Media Awards.
Journalists and filmmakers joined content creators and actors at the 13th Asian Media Awards in Manchester.
The awards celebrate achievements in a range of categories in journalism, investigations, TV, radio, stage, online and creative media.
The ceremony is supported by the University of Salford and took place at The Manchester Deansgate Hotel on Friday (October 31). It follows a shortlist announcement which was held at BBC Broadcasting House in London.
The 2025 ceremony was hosted by Sky Sports presenter Bela Shah.
The award was presented on behalf of Manchester Metropolitan University, Dr Sabah Boustila.
Speaking on stage she said: “I want to big up everyone from Channel 4 News. It is such a great news programme to work on.
“I am so proud every time I come to these awards and see all the talent that exists in our community.
“We all know it has been a really tough time at the minute.
“At Channel 4 News we have tried to get under the skin and explain a bit about whats going on.”
Darshna Soni has covered some of the biggest national and international stories of the year.
In August 2025, Darshna challenged the Israeli deputy foreign minister Sharren Haskel about claims by aid groups that vital humanitarian supplies were being delayed from reaching Gaza.
She spoke to two asylum seekers about the terrifying moment their hotel was attacked by a crowd in Rotherham before reporting live in Birmingham from a community fearing more trouble.
She exclusively reported from Wethersfield in Essex, a former military base that is now housing migrants awaiting their claims to be processed.
Darshna has also led reports for Channel 4 on the Air India crash and the murder of Bhim Kohli and spoke to a police whistleblower who exclusively revealed how West Midlands Police were failing to act on widespread evidence of racism within its ranks.
