Professor (Dr.) Vartika Nanda is an Indian prison reformer, media educator and media commentator. She has experience of the media industry and academia and has dedicated her life to the cause of prison reforms. She is the recipient of Stree Shakti Puraskar by the President of India, the highest civilian honour for women empowerment in India, given to her for her work in media and literature. Her name entered Limca Book of Records twice. She is the recipient of Bhartendu Harish Chandra Award by Government of India and is a TEDx speaker.
Vartika Nanda is credited for giving birth to prison radios in District Jail, Agra (Uttar Pradesh), District Jail, Dehradun (Uttarakhand) and the jails of Haryana. She has authored 4 books on prisons, latest being RADIO IN PRISON published by National Book Trust in 2024. Her recent research on the "Study of the condition of women inmates and their children in Indian Prisons and their communication needs with special reference to Uttar Pradesh" has been evaluated as OUTSTANDING by ICSSR. It was released by Shri Manoj Kumar Singh (IAS), Chief Secretary, Uttar Pradesh and Shri P. V. Rama Sastry, Director General of Police/Inspector General Prison, Prison Administration and Reform Services, Uttar Pradesh in 2024. Brut India has given extensive coverage to her work in the prisons of Haryana.
She is the voice of Delhi Police and is the storyteller of Kissa Khaki Ka, the only podcast series by any police department in India. Kissa Khaki Ka completed 206 episodes on 18 January, 2026, marking the completion of the first phase of this podcast series. The new series of Kissa Khaki Ka 2.0 was launched on 01 February, 2026.
Professor Vartika Nanda heads the Department of Journalism in Lady Shri Ram College, Delhi University She has held various journalistic assignments in electronic media including Zee News, NDTV and Lok Sabha TV. Her research areas include prisons, relationships between police, crime and the persecution of victims, gender reporting and the portrayal of women in media. She was the first woman reporter to head crime beat in the electronic media in India. She runs the Tinka Tinka Foundation dedicated towards prison reforms, with a special focus on prison radio. She is credited with curating and creating the concept of awards for inmates and prison staff for the first time in India. Her name has been included in the Limca Book of Records twice for her work on prison reforms.
Journalism & Mass Communication:
Nanda, V. (2024) Radio in Prison: National Book Trust:
Nanda, V. (2018) Media Laws and Ethics: Kanishka Publishers:
Nanda, V. (2018) Media aur Bazaar: Samayik Books:
Nanda, V. (2017) Radio Journalism in India: Kanishka Publishers:
Nanda, V. (2014) Khabar Yahan Bhi: Samyik Prakashan: 2014:
Nanda, V. (2010) Television aur Crime Reporting: Rajkamal Prakashan: 2010:
Nanda, V. (2005) Television aur Apraadh Patrakarita: Delhi: Indian Institute of Mass Communication. () Received the Bhartendu Harish Chandra Award by I&B Ministry in 2007
Prison Reforms & Mass Communication:
Nanda, V. (2024) Radio in Prison: National Book Trust: ISBN 978-93-5743-974-9
Nanda, V (2023).ÃÂ Tinka Tinka Tihar (Hindi): Tinka Tinka Foundation
Nanda, V. (2020) Tinka Tinka Dasna (Hindi): Tinka Tinka Foundation: (First ever reporting from a jail)
Nanda, V. (2018) Tinka Tinka Madhya Pradesh (Hindi): Tinka Tinka Foundation:
Nanda, V. (2016) Tinka Tinka Dasna (Hindi): Tinka Tinka Foundation:
Nanda, V. (2016) Tinka Tinka Dasna (English): Tinka Tinka Foundation: (First reporting from the jail)
Nanda, V. (2013) Tinka Tinka Tihar (Eds.) (Hindi): Ed: Vartika Nanda & Vimla Mehra: Publisher: Rajkamal Prakashan:2013. Included in the Limca Book of Records.
Nanda, V. (2013) Tinka Tinka Tihar. Delhi: Rajkamal Prakashan: () â Included in the Limca Book of Records.
Poetry:
Nanda, V. (2015) Raniyan Sab Janti Hain: Publisher: Vani Prakashan: (selected amongst TOP 5 books by Femina)
Nanda, V. (2012) Thee. Hoon.. Rahungi.... Delhi: Rajkamal Prakashan: . (First collection of poems in the country on the issues of crimes against women) (received Dr Radha Krishnan Memorial Award & Rituraj Parampara Samman)
Nanda, V. (2011) Marjani: Publisher: Rajkamal Prakashan:
Nanda, V. (1989) Madhur Dastak