Reflecting the human condition a passion for this reporter
Watching 24/7 CNN coverage of the Persian Gulf War was a brutal introduction to the world, and to journalism. Yet, that's what sparked Madhu Krishnamurthy's passion for becoming a writer at age 14.
A journey that began more than 29 years ago on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean led Madhu to traverse thousands of miles and three continents in pursuit of that dream.
“I dreamed of being a war correspondent,” said Madhu, born in Chennai, India and raised in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. “That idea still freaks my family out whenever I mention it.”
Madhu is now a Daily Herald senior staff writer. She has covered a variety of beats in her 19 years with the paper, including local government, health, diversity and education. She now concentrates on suburban K-12 school districts and higher education institutions She also writes stories of human interest, politics, religion and diversity-related topics.
“I relish telling stories reflecting the breadth of the human experience, especially those of people's unique struggles,” Madhu said.
A first-generation immigrant to the United States, Madhu is a 1998 graduate of the University of Central Oklahoma with a Bachelor of Arts degree in newspaper journalism. She was among the teams of reporters that won the Peter Lisagor Award for Best Deadline Reporting in 2010 and 2015, a finalist in 2010 for Best Investigative Reporting and in 2019 for Best Education Reporting.
Madhu chairs the Daily Herald's Editorial Diversity Committee, whose goals are to broaden employees' understanding of the various cultures and backgrounds within the company and help ensure that the Daily Herald Media Group's news products reflect the diversity of the communities we serve. She speaks four languages — English, Hindi, Urdu and Tamil — and is learning Arabic.
She lives on Chicago's Northwest Side.