Meet India’s Youngest Journalists: Living and Reporting from the Streets
By Harshita RathoreApril 26, 2025
Among the tens of thousands of newspapers published in India, one stands truly unique — Balaknama (Children’s Chronicle). Curated by street children, the Delhi-based Balaknama brings powerful stories about underprivileged children and their surroundings in several cities across India. These children have lived the hardships they write about, giving their journalism rare authenticity and depth. Through Balaknama, they now have a platform to voice their issues and challenges.
Young reporters like 14-year-old Julie, a fierce and determined young girl, go from home to home collecting stories and gathering information from their community. Meanwhile, Kishan, the editor of Balaknama, carefully compiles and edits these stories. Along with Julie, several other young reporters contribute, shaping this unique newsletter.
Balaknama is supported by CHETNA (Childhood Enhancement through Training and Action), an NGO that has been working for the empowerment of street-connected children since 2002. Every month, 5,000 copies of the Hindi edition and 3,000 copies of the English edition are printed. Further, Balaknama is widely circulated through PDFs on WhatsApp, reaching audiences both nationally and internationally.
On April 12, 2016, Balaknama was recognised by the Limca Book of Records as the first Hindi newspaper brought out by street children. The story of this newspaper and its reporters shows that when underprivileged children are given the right guidance and opportunities, they can shine and realise their full potential.
According to estimates by Save the Children, around 2 million children live on the streets of India, with Delhi alone accounting for over 70,000. Many of these children face daily struggles for food, shelter, healthcare and education. They are often exposed to exploitation, violence and a lack of basic rights, which pushes them further to the margins of society.
Government surveys and independent studies have found that a large percentage of street children do not attend school regularly. Instead, they spend their days working in informal sectors, begging, or simply surviving.
In Delhi, despite the presence of various shelters, thousands of children continue to sleep under flyovers, in railway stations and along roadsides, with limited protection and support.
The reporters of Balaknama emerge from these very streets. Their reporting has exposed issues such as police brutality, child labour, addiction and lack of access to sanitation and education. For many of these young journalists, the act of gathering stories is not only about raising awareness but also about reclaiming their agency in a society that often treats them as invisible.