Rukmini Callimachi
Rukmini Maria Callimachi (born 25 June 1973)[1] is a Romanian-American journalist. She currently works for The New York Times, where she specializes in covering ISIS.
Rukmini Callimachi | |
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Born | Rukmini Maria Callimachi 25 June 1973 Bucharest, Romania |
Alma mater | Dartmouth College University of Oxford |
Occupation | Journalist |
Awards | Aurora Prize, Sidney Hillman Foundation Award, Peabody |
Background
Callimachi left Romania during the communist regime with her mother and grandmother, for Switzerland and then the United States. In the U.S., she attended The Oak Grove School and The Thacher School in Ojai, California. She graduated from Dartmouth College and from Exeter College of the University of Oxford, with a masters in linguistics.[2] In 2000, she co-led the Royal Geographical Society's expedition to Tibet.[3]
Career
After publishing some poetry, Callimachi became a freelancer in New Delhi, India, including for Time magazine.[4][5][6] In 2003, she joined the Associated Press in Portland, Oregon. After a year in New Orleans documenting the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, in 2006 she began reporting out of Dakar, Senegal, as a West African correspondent for The AP. There she focused on investigating the exploitation of children in West and Central Africa, for which she was named a Pulitzer Finalist in International Reporting in 2009.[7] Callimachi later became more well known for her work in uncovering truths about extremism, and was again named Pulitzer Finalist in 2014 for "her discovery and fearless exploration of internal documents that shattered myths and deepened understanding of the global terrorist network of al-Qaida."[8]
In 2014, Callimachi was hired by The New York Times.[9] Her reporting continues to focus on Islamic extremism,[10] which has helped the Times earn a Pulitzer Finalist accolade in 2016 as part of a group entry.[11] Callimachi's work in investigative journalism became further recognised in 2016, as she won the inaugural International Center for Journalists' Integrity in Journalism Award, for her "exceptional contribution to exposing crimes against humanity".[12]
Caliphate (2018)
The serialized audio documentary Caliphate, first released in April 2018, follows Callimachi as she reports on the Islamic State.[13][14][15] The podcast won a Peabody Award in the radio/podcast category that year.[16] Her work on Caliphate also made her a Pulitzer Finalist again, "[f]or dissecting the power and persistence of the ISIS terror movement, through relentless on-the-ground and online reporting, and masterful use of podcast storytelling."[17]
The ISIS files
Over fifteen thousand files, now known as "The ISIS Files"—obtained by Callimachi and her "Iraqi colleagues during embeds with the Iraqi army"—were digitize[d], translate[d], analyze[d], and publish[ed]" by the The New York Times and the George Washington University in an "exclusive partnership". The two partners announced their intentions to do so in 2018, and by 2020, the files have been online.[18]
Personal life
She got her name "Rukmini" through her family's closeness to the Indian theosophist Rukmini Devi Arundale, founder of Kalakshetra Foundation in Chennai, India.[3]
Awards
- 2018 Peabody Award in News and Radio/Podcast.[19]
- 2016 Aurora Prize for Integrity in Journalism.[20]
- 2014 Michael Kelly Award and finalist in 2009[21] and 2012[22]
- 2012 McGill Medal for Journalistic Courage from the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication[23]
- 2011 Eugene S. Pulliam National Journalism Writing Award from Ball State University for her article, "Haiti-Hotel Montana".[24]
- 2009 Pulitzer Prize Finalist "for her in-depth investigation of the exploitation of impoverished children in West and Central Africa"[25]
- 2007 Sidney Hillman Foundation Award, "Coverage of Hurricane Katrina aftermath," The Associated Press[26]
- 2004 John M. Templeton Religion Story of the Year award, The Daily Herald (Ill.), "Passage from India"[27]
- 1998 Keats-Shelley Prize for Poetry
Works
News
- "Gabon casts first votes after dictator's death". Associated Press. 30 August 2009.
- Callimachi, Rukmini (9 August 2009). "Opium addictions grip families in Afghanistan's remote villages". The Boston Globe.
- "Afghan women candidates campaign in burqas". The Taiwan News. 30 July 2009.
- "Ruler with 45 homes among world's most corrupt". The Taiwan News. 22 June 2009.
- "'Gabon weeps' for strongman despite lost riches". FreeLibrary. 20 June 2009.
- "Somali pirates held after attack off the Seychelles". The Scotsman. 29 April 2009.
- When the lights go out, students take off to airport. The Guardian. London. 21 July 2007. Retrieved 23 May 2010.
- Callimachi, Rukmini (15 May 2005). "Mt. St. Helens' Victims Remembered". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 23 May 2010.
- Callimachi, Rukmini (26 November 2004). "Adidas Feeling Pressure From Nike on Home Turf". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 23 May 2010.
- Callimachi, Rukmini (23 August 2004). "Banks Look to Cash In by Providing Personal Touches". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 23 May 2010.
- Callimachi, Rukmini (18 August 2004). "All the Comforts of Home". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 23 May 2010.
- Callimachi, Rukmini (10 May 2004). "Bioengineered Grass Is Cause for Growing Concern". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 23 May 2010.
- Tim McGirk (29 January 2001). "Tremor Mortis". Time.
- Callimachi, Rukmini (27 June 2015). "ISIS and the Lonely Young American". The New York Times.
- Callimachi, Rukmini (2018). "Caliphate". The New York Times.
See also
References
- Mihaiescu, Marlus. "Rukmini Callimachi - jurnalista americana de origine romana - nominalizata la premiile Pulitzer". HotNews.ro. Retrieved 18 August 2011.
- Reid, Stuart (July–August 2015). "The Beat of Terror". Dartmouth Alumni Magazine. Retrieved 9 July 2018.
- "Rukmini Callimachi-Rukmini Arundale". Retrieved 10 January 2015.
- Callimachi, Ruckmini. "Oxford Poetry Vol X No 3: Rus et Urbs (Summer 1999)". webpage. demon.co.uk. Retrieved 18 August 2011.
- "Index of Authors". webpage. Black Warrior Review. Archived from the original on 17 June 2011. Retrieved 18 August 2011.
- Chotnier, Isaac. "The ISIS Correspondent". Slate. Retrieved 12 July 2016.
- Pascariu, Roxana. "Rukmini Callimachi: Pulitzer Finalist 2009". The Romanian Office. Retrieved 18 August 2011.
- "The 2014 Pulitzer Prize Finalist in International Reporting". The Pulitzer Prizes. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
- Calderone, Michael (27 February 2014). "AP's Rukmini Callimachi Joins The New York Times". Huffington Post. Retrieved 26 October 2014.
- Rukmini Callimachi. "Rukmini Callimachi (@rcallimachi)". Twitter. Retrieved 23 May 2017.
- "The 2016 Pulitzer Prize Finalist in International Reporting". The Pulitzer Prizes. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
- "The New York Times' Rukmini Callimachi to Receive the ICFJ Integrity in Journalism Award in Partnership with the Aurora Prize". ICFJ. 23 April 2016. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
- Nicholas Quah (20 April 2018). "Why the New York Times Is Making a Podcast About ISIS". Vulture.com. Retrieved 4 May 2018.
- Lisa Ryan (26 April 2018). "The New York Times' Rukmini Callimachi on How She Gets Close to ISIS". The Cut. Retrieved 4 May 2018.
- Meg Dalton and Pete Vernon (3 May 2018). "Podcast: Rukmini Callimachi on covering ISIS". Columbia Journalism Review. Retrieved 4 May 2018.
- ""Caliphate" Wins 2018 Peabody Award". The New York Times Company. 23 April 2019. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
- "The 2019 Pulitzer Prize Finalist in International Reporting". The Pulitzer Prizes. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
- "The ISIS Files". The New York Times and George Washington University. June 2020. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
- "Peabody names News & Radio/Podcast Winners". 23 April 2019. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
- "Aurora Prize: The New York Times reporter receives Integrity in Journalism Award". News.am. 24 April 2016. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
- "Finalist: Rukmini Maria Callimachi". Archived from the original on 20 April 2009. Retrieved 30 August 2009.
- "Rukmini Callimachi". Archived from the original on 2 December 2012. Retrieved 29 December 2012.
- "AP reporter Callimachi receives UGA's McGill Medal for Journalistic Courage - UGA Today". UGA Today. 19 April 2012. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
- "Eugene S. Pulliam National Journalism Writing Award". Ball State University. Retrieved 18 August 2011.
- "Pulitzer Prize Finalists 2009". Pulitzer.org. Retrieved 30 August 2009.
- "Sidney Hillman Foundation Awards —". Infoplease.com. 2 April 2007. Retrieved 26 February 2013.
- "Previous RNA Contest Winners". Rna.org. 4 February 2013. Retrieved 30 August 2009.
External links
- Rukmini Callimachi on Twitter
- "RUKMINI CALLIMACHI", Free Library
- "RUKMINI CALLIMACHI", Newsvine
- Interview, Longform Podcast #129
- The ISIS Files These files include 15,000 pages of internal ISIS files obtained Callimachi and her team.