India: Concerns over mental health of journalists grow following 24 year old journalist’s demise

July 31, 2020, New Delhi, India -- The Coalition For Women In Journalism mourns with loved ones of TV anchor Priya Juneja who was found dead in her New Delhi home last friday.

Priya Juneja (24) worked for various TV channels before moving to a YouTube channel. In her recent coverages she had interviewed singer Kailash Kher and talked about how a person can remain positive and think positive in these difficult times of Covid-19.

Police officers who investigated the incident informed the public that Priya had been suffering from depression for some time and was undergoing treatment at Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences (IHBAS).

Priya is survived by her parents, two sisters and a brother who found her body at around 7 a.m. when she did not open the door of her room. She did not leave any suicide note.

Many of her friends expressed grief over her suicide, one of her friends wrote on her Facebook page said: "She was a very jolly girl. She was eager to help everyone and I have known very few people who were full of life like her." according to National Herald India.

From threats towards freedom of the press to low wages and the intense work pressure; journalism is one of the professions which is vulnerable to negative impacts on mental health.

At CFWIJ we take mental health seriously and are here for women journalists who need resources. 

If you or someone you know is in crisis and needs help, resources are available. In case of an emergency, please call authorities for immediate help.