His book, for which he received the prize, delves into the rise of the militant Hindu Right.

Award-winning author and senior journalist from the Times of India,Akshaya Mukul, in a gesture of protest against the rising intolerance in our nation, boycotted the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards on Wednesday, November 2, 2016. The awards that were started by The Indian Express in 2005 are given out to journalists for their exceptional contribution in the field.

Askshaya Mukul had been conferred the award in the category of Books (non-fiction) for his Gita Press and the Making of Hindu India. In his absence, the award was collected by Krishan Chopra, the publisher and chief editor at HarperCollins India, the publisher of his book.

Mukul’s reason for boycotting the event was very simple: he said he was honoured to have received the award but he did not wish to be felicitated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was the guest of honour this year. Read more