Guwahati based sports photojournalist Gitika Talukdar accredited by IOC to cover Paris Olympics 2024

Gitika Talukdar, a senior sports journalist and photographer, has been directly accredited by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to cover the upcoming Paris Olympic Games 2024, scheduled from July 26, 2024. The IOC granted this exceptional accreditation as part of its initiative to promote women sports journalists and photographers, recognizing Gitika's dedication and contributions to sports journalism.

Gitika, based in Guwahati, is the first and only female photographer from India to receive this direct accreditation and one of the few globally. This recognition falls under the directly accredited organization category, emphasizing the IOC's commitment to encouraging female journalists and young reporters.

In a press release, Gitika expressed her gratitude, stating, "It's an honor and privilege to receive accreditation from the IOC to cover the Paris Olympic Games 2024. I am grateful for their generous decision, which encourages me to work even harder." She highlighted this year's Olympic motto, "Games Wide Open," which signifies inclusivity and equal opportunity, reflecting the spirit of open-mindedness and broad audience engagement. Gitika believes such encouragement boosts women's leadership qualities, crucial for societal progress.

This will be Gitika's second opportunity to cover the Olympic Games; she previously covered the Tokyo Olympics 2020 in Japan during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite numerous media outlets declining to attend Tokyo, Gitika bravely covered numerous sports events, taking significant risks during the pandemic.

With a journalism career spanning 19 years, Gitika has worked with many leading publications in India and abroad, covering major sports events like the Women's FIFA World Cup 2023 in Australia and New Zealand, Qatar FIFA World Cup 2022, FIFA Women's World Cup 2019 in France, Russia FIFA World Cup 2018, ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 in London, Indian Premier League series, Commonwealth Games, and South Asian Games. Gitika holds a master's degree in Sports Management from the prestigious Seoul National University in South Korea, earned through a scholarship from the Ministry of Sports, Republic of South Korea, in 2020.

Gitika will fly to Paris on July 23 to cover the Olympic and Paralympic multi-sport events at various locations, joining the global media diaspora for this grand event.