TINKA TINKA FOUNDATION: WHO WE ARE
Tinka Tinka Foundation (TTF) is a Public Charitable Trust. It was registered on 31st May, 2016 in New Delhi. It is constituted to work for prison reforms by encouraging prison administrators and prison inmates through art, culture, literature and journalism. The organisation is trying to join all jails together through creative pursuits and education. Founded by prison reformer and media educator Dr. Vartika Nanda Dr. Vartika Nanda – Tinka Tinka Prison Reforms, its objective is to foster positive change, reformation and healing in prisons. TTF aims to become a bridge between prisons and society. Milestones – Tinka Tinka Prison Reforms TTF believes that the inmates are a valuable human resource, who can contribute to the process of development, growth, and nation-building.
WHAT WE DO
TTF has conceptualised, trained and executed PRISON RADIO in District Jail Agra, Jails of Haryana and Uttarakhand. TINKA JAIL RADIO is the only PODCAST in India dedicated to prison reforms. TINKA TINKA INDIA and TINKA TINKA BANDINI AWARDS are the exclusive national awards dedicated to prison, honouring both inmates and the jail officials for their significant contribution. We also undertake action-oriented research and publish books on prison reforms. Three books under our umbrella are considered to be masterpieces on prison life, which are a culmination of continuous engagement with prisons.
TINKA TINKA INDIA & TINKA TINKA BANDINI AWARDS
Tinka Tinka Foundation has curated two national awards exclusively for prisons, Tinka Tinka India Awards and Tinka Tinka Bandini Awards. These are the only awards that are solely dedicated to inmates and jail staff. Started in 2015, this is the 10th year of celebration of creativity in jails, through these awards. Every year, a prison related subject is chosen as the main theme. This has helped inmates express their emotions and creative talents, enabling the award winners to even apply for remissions. In 2019, the theme was ‘Radio in Jails’, in 2020, the chosen theme was ‘Covid-19 and Prisons’ and in 2021, it was ‘Telephone in Jails’. More than 130 inmates and 45 jail staff have received Tinka Tinka India Awards between 2015 to 2023. Recommendations for these awards are sent by senior jail officials. Every year, the award ceremony is held on 9th of December, on the eve of International Human Rights Day.
Theme for the year 2024 is ‘Visitation in Jails.’ Inmate visitation is a long-established component of the prison system worldwide and in India that allows inmates to have contact with their family, friends, lawyers, and others. Evidence suggests that the practice of visitation is beneficial for the mental and emotional well-being of inmates, which keeps them connected to the outside world and strengthens familial bonds. In recent years, technological advancements have allowed the creation of video (i.e., cyber visitation) and remote visitation as well, as a means of promoting safe and efficient forms of visitation. As physical visitations were completely stopped due to Covid-19, this form of visitation assumed even greater significance.