Overview
Khasokhas, the Nepali American media publication celebrated marked its 14th anniversary with an event focusing on how journalism, technology, and human rights must work together to strengthen the information ecosystem
Khasokhas, the Nepali American media publication based in NY, marked its 14th anniversary in New York on May 3, 2026. Celebrations began with a march to honor World Press Freedom Day during which friends, community leaders, lawmakers, and social activists joined the Khasokhas team for a 15-minute walk from the corner of 77th St and 37th Rd. in Jackson Heights to pay tribute to journalists who lost their lives in the line of duty.
At the Jewish Center of Jackson Heights, ceremonies began with a program titled Community Media: Inform, Empower, Advocate, which focused on how journalism, technology, and human rights must work together to strengthen the information ecosystem.
Editor Suresh Shahi reflected on the organization’s remarkable journey and moderated the program, while Editor Deepak Pariyar reiterated Khasokhas’ long-standing commitment to advancing the rights and interests of the Nepali diaspora. Editor-in-Chief Kishor Panthi noted Khasokhas’ milestones entering its 15th year, calling 2025 “the year of vertical video in the fight against misinformation and disinformation.” He cited data showing that 85% of Nepali Americans speak Nepali at home, underscoring the continued need for Nepali-language media.
Speakers included 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 India Currents Managing Editor Meera Kymal.
Khasokhas, a news portal for the Nepali diaspora in New York City since 2012, has provided essential reporting on immigration, housing, taxes, education and health to empower its community and bolster its resilience.
Reflecting on America’s rapidly evolving information landscape, Meera Kymal shared insights on the role of ethnic outlets in today’s media ecosystem. She shared that India Currents, based in California, recently celebrated its 38th anniversary, highlighting the shared legacy of South Asian community media across both coasts. She also emphasized that ethnic media serves as essential voices for the South Asian diaspora, a community of over five million people.
“Small ethnic media newsrooms like ours are the voices of our people…your voices,” she said. ”We represent communities, whether they are Nepali, Somali, Afghan, Punjabi, or Indian.” Noting that these platforms play a critical role in sharing culturally grounded stories, providing trusted information, and advocating for community needs, she added. “Most importantly, we do this through a culturally sensitive lens.”
Community journalism goes beyond reporting, said Kymal; it functions as public service journalism. From immigration and healthcare access to aging populations, caregiving challenges, and civic engagement during elections, ethnic media helps communities understand and navigate complex systems in ways mainstream media often cannot. She explained that India Currents, for example, reports on “how the latest twists and turns of immigration policy affect you, your family, your livelihoods and your immigration status.”
And, as the South Asian diaspora ages, “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 where seniors live with their families deal with the burdens of caregiving.
Khasokhas celebrated the significance of World Press Freedom Day, noting that press freedoms are currently under siege, facing their steepest decline since 2012. Self-censorship is rising, and the AI manipulation of information underscores the urgency for independent, community-centered journalism, they said.
Kymal echoed these comments, pointing to rising challenges in the media landscape, including misinformation, disinformation, and the growing influence of digital platforms and AI-generated content. She noted how false narratives often target immigrant communities, fueling 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, urging audiences to question information sources and trust credible community-led journalism.
She shared examples of community initiatives undertaken by India Currents to provide credible information, including voter education workshops, health resource fairs in collaboration with elected officials, and multilingual civic engagement efforts designed to ensure that language is not a barrier to participation in democracy.
Trusted community media like KHASOKHAS and India Currents, she added, play a crucial role in providing verified, evidence-based, human-centered journalism rooted in real communities and real accountability.