Khasokhas, a Nepali American media outlet, celebrated its 14th anniversary in New York City with a rally for press freedom, highlighting the vital role of ethnic media in today’s information landscape.
Khasokhas, the Nepali American media publication based in New York, marked its 14th anniversary on May 3, 2026. The celebration commenced with a march in honor of World Press Freedom Day, where friends, community leaders, lawmakers, and social activists joined the Khasokhas team for a 15-minute walk from the corner of 77th Street and 37th Road in Jackson Heights. The march paid tribute to journalists who have lost their lives while reporting in the field.
At the Jewish Center of Jackson Heights, the festivities continued with a program titled “Community Media: Inform, Empower, Advocate.” This event focused on the intersection of journalism, technology, and human rights, emphasizing the importance of these elements working together to strengthen the information ecosystem.
Khasokhas editor Suresh Shahi reflected on the organization’s remarkable journey and moderated the program. Editor Deepak Pariyar reiterated Khasokhas’ long-standing commitment to advancing the rights and interests of the Nepali diaspora. Editor-in-Chief Kishor Panthi highlighted the publication’s milestones as it enters its 15th year, declaring 2025 “the year of vertical video in the fight against misinformation and disinformation.” He cited data indicating that 85% of Nepali Americans speak Nepali at home, underscoring the ongoing necessity for Nepali-language media.
The event featured a diverse lineup of speakers, including Mitra Kalita, CEO and co-founder of URL Media and Epicenter NYC; Sree Sreenivasan, co-founder of the South Asian Journalists Association (SAJA); Lok Bahadur Thapa, Ambassador of Nepal to the United Nations; Dadhiram Bhandari, Nepal’s Consul General in New York; Kavitha Rajagopalan, a Director at CUNY’s Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism; and Meera Kymal, Managing Editor of India Currents.
Khasokhas has served as a vital news portal for the Nepali diaspora in New York City since its inception in 2012, providing essential reporting on immigration, housing, taxes, education, and health to empower its community and bolster its resilience.
During her address, Meera Kymal shared insights on the role of ethnic media in today’s rapidly evolving information landscape. She noted that India Currents, based in California, recently celebrated its 38th anniversary, highlighting the shared legacy of South Asian community media across the country. Kymal emphasized that ethnic media serves as a crucial voice for the South Asian diaspora, a community exceeding five million people.
“Small ethnic media newsrooms like ours are the voices of our people…your voices,” Kymal stated. “We represent communities, whether they are Nepali, Somali, Afghan, Punjabi, or Indian.” She underscored the importance of these platforms in sharing culturally relevant stories, providing trusted information, and advocating for community needs. “Most importantly, we do this through a culturally sensitive lens,” she added.
Kymal elaborated on the role of community journalism, stating that it goes beyond mere reporting; it also functions as public service journalism. From immigration and healthcare access to aging populations and civic engagement during elections, ethnic media assists communities in understanding and navigating complex systems in ways that mainstream media often cannot. She highlighted that India Currents, for instance, covers how the latest changes in immigration policy impact families and livelihoods.
As the South Asian diaspora ages, Kymal noted, “we look at what health issues you’re dealing with, how cuts to Medicare and Medicaid affect you,” and how multigenerational families in South Asian communities manage caregiving challenges.
Khasokhas celebrated the significance of World Press Freedom Day, emphasizing that press freedoms are currently under siege, facing their steepest decline since 2012. The editors remarked on the rising trend of self-censorship and the manipulation of information by artificial intelligence, highlighting the urgency for independent, community-centered journalism.
Kymal echoed these sentiments, pointing to the increasing challenges within the media landscape, such as misinformation, disinformation, and the growing influence of digital platforms and AI-generated content. She noted that false narratives often target immigrant communities, fostering fear, confusion, and even hate-driven incidents.
She reiterated the importance of supporting independent ethnic media as a safeguard for democracy, press freedom, and informed civic participation. Kymal urged audiences to critically evaluate information sources and trust credible community-led journalism.
To illustrate the impact of community initiatives, Kymal shared examples from India Currents, including voter education workshops, health resource fairs in collaboration with elected officials, and multilingual civic engagement efforts designed to ensure that language barriers do not hinder participation in democracy.
Trusted community media outlets like Khasokhas and India Currents play a crucial role in delivering verified, evidence-based, human-centered journalism that is deeply rooted in real communities and accountable to their needs, according to Kymal.
The celebration of Khasokhas’ anniversary served not only as a commemoration of its achievements but also as a rallying cry for the importance of press freedom and the critical role of ethnic media in empowering communities.
According to India Currents, the event highlighted the ongoing challenges faced by ethnic media and the necessity for continued support in the fight for press freedom.