From groundbreaking investigations to exclusive interviews that revealed the untold, 2024 saw South First deliver some of its finest work.
Published Dec 31, 2024 | 10:00 AM ⚊ Updated Dec 31, 2024 | 10:00 AM
South First Exclusives 2024
From groundbreaking investigations to exclusive interviews that revealed the untold, 2024 saw South First deliver some of its finest work.
Here are the best exclusive news stories from 2024, showcasing the depth, dedication, and impact of our reporting.
A glimpse into the stories that made waves, sparked conversations and stood as testaments to fearless journalism.
Soon after Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu claimed that animal fat was used to prepare laddus during the YSRCP regime at the Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Tirumala, officials South First spoke to dismissed it. An official committee report from TTD also showed that it was not true.
Officials noted that consignments with adulterated ghee are rejected and, in case of repeat offences, the vendors were blacklisted from participating in the tender process to supply ghee to TTD.
The southern states have by far a bigger rate of enrolment in higher education of students from Muslim communities as compared to their peers in other parts of India — particularly Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, where the community’s population is significant.
This has been stated in a study titled “State of Muslim Education in India” compiled and analysed by former professor Arun C Mehta, who was heading the Educational Management Information System (EMIS) at the National University of Educational Planning & Administration (NIEPA).
The study was compiled based on the 2020-21 and 2021-22 data from the Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE Plus) — the largest school education database — and the 2020-21 data from the All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE).
Did former Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao explore the option of forming the government after the BRS’ debacle in the Assembly elections in December last year, a result that he had not foreseen?
Exclusive information gathered from authoritative sources by South First confirmed an affirmative answer to the question.
Ahead of the Assembly and Lok Sabha election in Andhra Pradesh, the TDP reportedly made a strong presence on social media platforms. According to a source from the party, there were approximately 1,48,313 WhatsApp groups, around 500 pages operating on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram, and around 2.5 lakh users on the “Mana TDP” application as per the numbers from the end of 2023.
These users’ job was to propagate the content created by the party in exchange for rewards. The thin line between news, infotainment, and memes was blurred here, with the party’s propaganda depending on the chosen narrative. Messages were prepared based on the narrative decided in daily internal meetings by party-affiliated and associated members.
Harohalli used to be a village from where water tankers ply on the roads day and night supplying drinking water to a thirsty Bengaluru. This constant water suction from borewells had a terrible impact on the lives of the villagers who failed to obtain water for their needs.
However, following a report by South First, authorities intervened and stopped the practice.
Around 500 serving police personnel in Andhra Pradesh, hailing from Dalit communities, are part of a six-lakh strong movement seeking reforms in the Panchayat raj system.
A charitable Trust, Ambedkar India Mission (AIM), spearheads the movement. IPS officer and Andhra Pradesh Disaster Response and Fire Services DGP PV Sunil Kumar founded the trust with a vision to bring marginalised communities together.
On 17 January, well-wishers quietly observed the eighth death anniversary of Rohith Vemula — the suspended University of Hyderabad (UoH) research scholar whose death by suicide alleging caste discrimination had caused a national furore. It has been over eight years as well since an FIR under sections of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and for abetment to suicide was filed by four other research scholars.
However, South First reported that no charge sheet has been filed in the case to date — primarily because the Guntur district’s collector’s office still has not provided Vemula’s caste certificate, which would help determine his Dalit status.
Kerala, long celebrated for its robust healthcare system, faces a puzzling paradox. Despite being the second-highest in per capita government health expenditure in India at ₹4,338 in 2021-22, the state records the country’s highest out-of-pocket expenditure (OOPE), reflecting a heavy reliance on private healthcare.
According to the National Health Accounts (NHA) 2021-22, OOPE in Kerala constituted 59.1% of the state’s Total Health Expenditure (THE), amounting to ₹28,400 crore.
This translates to an average of ₹7,889 per person annually.
Wayanad landslides in maps: Visualisation of the incident and the way forward
The landslides that struck Wayanad a week ago resulted in the severe loss of lives and properties. Authorities are still sifting through the debris, looking for possible survivors, but ending up finding bodies, and body parts.
Even as Kerala is yet to recover from the shock of the worst-ever natural disaster it faced in a century, as a civilised society, the series of events that triggered the landslide, and the way forward should be looked at to avoid such disasters in the future.
