India Currents Impact Report 2024

Dear Readers,

As 2025 begins, I reflect on the incredible milestones and moments that defined last year—a year of resilience and connections for India Currents. We grew on multiple fronts—readership, partnerships with diverse media organizations, and events!

We achieved an exciting milestone by syndicating our content, which helped us surpass 2 million page views this year! This unprecedented growth in readership is a testament to the relevance of our stories and the deep connection we share with you, our audience.

A highlight of the year came in the form of an email that left us all overjoyed:
“On behalf of the AAJA National Governing Board and AAJA HQ, we are thrilled to announce you as the winner of the 2024 AAJA Community Impact Award to a Local Newsroom. Congratulations!”

This recognition celebrated India Currents’ commitment to serving the AAPI community with quality, award-winning journalism, particularly our efforts to highlight news within the Bay Area Indian American community. Challenging? Yes. Rewarding? Even more so. This honor affirmed the importance of the work we do and left our entire team glowing with pride.

We were honored to join two prestigious initiatives: the inaugural cohort of Press Forward and the Pilot Accelerator Program by Report for America. The selection process was very competitive, but funders believed in our mission to bring you quality journalism while amplifying the stories that matter most to our community.

Yet, challenges remain.

Growing our reader revenue program remains a critical focus. While we’ve raised $66,200 from about 165 donors, we continue to face the vital task of demonstrating to the Indian diaspora the value and urgency of supporting local community journalism. To those who have found success in America—can you help ensure that India Currents continues to safeguard our shared stories and uplift our voices for generations to come? Your support is vital to securing this legacy for the future.

And finally, on a deeply personal note, I stepped into unexpected territory this year when an Indian matchmaker reached out to interview me. Amused but intrigued, I leaned into the opportunity.

My journey through love, loss, and finding love again isn’t something I’ve shared publicly before. But reflecting on this moment, I realized how powerful it can be to open up—to be vulnerable. And so, I leaped, diving into a conversation about resilience, love, and all that comes with it.

Dear reader, thank you.

Thank you for being part of this journey, for engaging with our stories, and for believing in the power of community journalism. We remain committed to being a vital voice for the Indian American community and look forward to continuing this journey with you in the year ahead.

Wishing you a joyful and prosperous 2025!

Warm regards,
Vandana

Featured in the Media Impact Funders dialog
Featured in News Revenue Hub Impact Blog
Featured in Editor & Publishers Newsletter
Featured in a Knight Foundation San Jose study
Featured on “Making a Difference” Radio Show
Featured on Google News Initiative success stories

Strategic Growth and Learning

Selected for the INN Emerging Leaders Council. My project was Building an Emergency Succession Plan. With the guidance of coach, Amy Kovacs Ashley, and six months of dedicated effort, we now have a plan that not only safeguards our future but also ensures a smooth transition when the time comes.

Invited by The Center for Community Media and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism as a coach to mentor the inaugural cohort of Fundraising for Community Media. Supporting the sustainability of diverse newsrooms feels especially meaningful as we navigate the challenges of local journalism together.

With an eye on the long-term future of India Currents, I applied for the LION Sustainability Audit. Through a comprehensive deep dive into our organizational indicators—operational resilience, financial health, and journalistic impact—we now have a detailed report with actionable recommendations. This roadmap will help us strengthen our foundation and thrive in all areas of our business.

Technology & Training

Selected for the Google News Initiative Reader Loyalty & Retention Lab
Selected for Newspack’s Revenue Development Program
Selected for News Consumer Insight Shift training

Reporting & Community Impact

You’ve known us for our storytelling, but this year we took it a step further, branching out into in-person events to engage directly with you.

Partnered with Assemblymember Ash Kalra’s office to organize a resource fair for seniors, addressing critical needs within our community.
Partnered with CalMatters to host an in-person Voter Education event, to engage with the community on various ballot propositions.
Celebrated the Lunar New Year with our partner, DingDing TV. We also collaborated on the “Know Your Candidates” Voter Education Initiative, strengthening ties with the broader Asian community, including Chinese, Vietnamese, and Filipino groups.
Showcased our award-winning visual storytelling series, “We Belong,” as a traveling exhibit through the San Jose Public Library system for 6 months, featuring the diverse faces and stories of the local Indian American community.
Compiled the first-of-its-kind Desis on the Ballot featuring candidates running for local offices and a how-to-vote guide in English, Hindi, Punjabi, and Telugu.
Launched Chai & Chat as an engagement series on topics relevant to community. Eg: YouTube live for incoming students from India with an educational influencer.
Launched a WhatsApp Community, a focused space for listening to the diaspora’s needs and sharing resources.
Delved deeply into the topic of aging with visits to the India Community Center and retirement homes, complemented by an in-person survey of seniors in the diaspora.
Spent a day with Jewish Weekly. We learned that their experiences and challenges mirror our own: serving a diverse and divided audience while striving to remain a trusted information source.