Call for Candidates: SAJA Board of Directors

Interested in joining SAJA's leadership team? 

Run for a seat on SAJA's Board!

Nominations close FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2026, 11:59pmEST

Care about how the media covers South Asia and South Asians? Want to make a difference in journalism and build your leadership skills? ...then run for a position on the board of the South Asian Journalists Association.

Five positions are open this year for two-year terms (2027–2028) beginning in January 2027. The newly elected members will join six continuing board members.

Members who want to run MUST complete the nomination form by 11:59pmEST on Friday, Nov. 20, 2026.

Complete this form.  Please note: Some application information will be posted online to help SAJA members determine their votes. 

Read on to see how to become a candidate or join SAJA's Zoom Info Session to learn more about what board members do.

SAJA's Zoom info session to join SAJA's leadership team 
When: Monday, Nov. 16
Time: 7pm EST (4pm PST)
Zoom link:https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2437285285?pwd=R2NKsCu7GES7lRnFI0e04ZLl5dnoaO.1&omn=81139415303
Meeting ID: 243 728 5285
Passcode: 589309

Register at this link: https://luma.com/ym5gppz6

Candidates must:

• Be based in North America.
• Only Full Members are eligible to run for a position on the board. Associate Members and Student Members are NOT eligible to contest.
• It's important to bring a spirit of teamwork and leadership — skills that you will develop while serving your term!
• Be prepared to commit 3 to 5 hours each week on activities ranging from organizing events to procuring submissions for awards and applications for scholarships.
• Board members elected by the board to serve as part of SAJA’s Executive Committee (president, vice president, secretary, treasurer and communications officer) will be required to contribute more time.
• Board members serve as volunteers without compensation.
• All board members will be required to attend four to six board meetings held throughout the year. Board meetings last approximately one hour.

How the election works:

Online voting will open on Monday, Nov. 23, once candidate statements are posted and will run through mid-December, when SAJA will hold its Annual Members' Meeting at a venue in New York to be announced separately. Voting and election to candidacy are remote; you don't have to attend the Annual Members' Meeting to run for the SAJA board. Full Members who have not voted online may vote at the meeting. 

Five candidates who receive the most votes will be declared elected to fill the open positions, and the results will be announced at the end of the meeting.

Only Full Members (including Lifetime Full Members) may vote.

The newly elected Board will choose its Executive Committee (president, vice president, secretary, treasurer and director of communications) at its first meeting in 2027.

For questions about running or serving on the Board, how the Board works, or a board member's duties, please email Mihir Zaveri at mihir.a.zaveri@gmail.com.