Lakshmi Singh ''LAK-shmee'' is a journalist and the anchor of Midday for
NPR
National Public Radio (NPR, stylized in all lowercase) is an American privately and state funded nonprofit media organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It differs from other ...
Newscasts, which is one of the top three most downloaded podcasts in the United States.
Early life
According to Singh, growing up, she struggled with shyness and stuttering. In high school, as she tried new activities and classes in forensics, debate, and drama, she says she began to find her voice with the encouragement of her teachers, leading to her interest in public speaking and journalism.
broadcasting
Broadcasting is the distribution of audio or video content to a dispersed audience via any electronic mass communications medium, but typically one using the electromagnetic spectrum ( radio waves), in a one-to-many model. Broadcasting beg ...
&
digital journalism
Digital journalism, also known as netizen journalism or online journalism, is a contemporary form of journalism where editorial content is distributed via the Internet, as opposed to publishing via print or broadcast. What constitutes digital ...
and
Latin American studies
Latin American studies (LAS) is an academic and research field associated with the study of Latin America. The interdisciplinary study is a subfield of area studies, and can be composed of numerous disciplines such as economics, sociology, history ...
. Prior to her tenure at NPR, she worked at
WAER
WAER (88.3 FM) is a radio station in Syracuse, New York. It is located on the campus of Syracuse University, and is a part of the S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. The station features a jazz music and National Public Radio forma ...
in Syracuse, then NPR member stations KPBX (Spokane), WMFE (Orlando), and Washington DC's
WAMU
WAMU (88.5 FM) is a public news/ talk station that services the greater Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. It is owned by American University, and its studios are located near the campus in northwest Washington. WAMU has been the primary Nation ...
, where she was a reporter and local show host. She joined NPR's Newscast Unit in 2000. Singh's contributions cover a variety of topics including race, health, immigration policy, and the arts.
In addition to announcing news throughout the day, Singh's résumé includes field reporting, and contributing to NPR's
Latino USA
''Latino USA'' is a nationally syndicated public radio program and podcast produced by The Futuro Media Group and distributed nationwide by the Public Radio Exchange (PRX), after 27 years of being distributed by NPR. The program is anchored by M ...
,
The Christian Science Monitor
''The Christian Science Monitor'' (''CSM''), commonly known as ''The Monitor'', is a nonprofit news organization that publishes daily articles in electronic format as well as a weekly print edition. It was founded in 1908 as a daily newspaper ...
Voice of America
Voice of America (VOA or VoA) is the state-owned news network and international radio broadcaster of the United States of America. It is the largest and oldest U.S.-funded international broadcaster. VOA produces digital, TV, and radio content ...
and
Gannett News Service
Gannett Co., Inc. () is an American mass media holding company headquartered in McLean, Virginia, in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. Singh has worked as a documentary producer and reporter for Soundprint Media, where she covered stories of women struggling with HIV/AIDS.
Personal life
Singh's father is
Indo-Trinidadian
Indo-Trinidadians and Tobagonians or Indian-Trinidadians and Tobagonians, are people of Indian origin who are nationals of Trinidad and Tobago whose ancestors came from India and the wider subcontinent beginning in 1845.
Indo-Trinidadians and ...
while her mother is Puerto Rican. Singh pronounces her first name as "LAK-shmee," not "LUK-shmee," as it is more traditionally pronounced. She prefers to follow the way her paternal Indo-Trinidadian grandmother said her name.
Awards and recognition
Singh was inducted into the WAER Hall of Fame. In 2014, Singh was recognized by Women of Color in Communications for her “contributions to the field, mentorship to other women in communications and broad impact on the promotion of ethnic diversity in journalism.” As a 1994 Syracuse University alumna with a dual degree in broadcast and digital journalism, Singh delivered the keynote address at the 2017 Newhouse School Convocation Ceremony. In 2018, "''The Invention of Thanksgiving" -'' a radio report by Singh - was featured in the Trail of Tears gallery of the "Americans" exhibition at the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian.