The winners of the “Otandastar Media Award” media contest, organised by the Otandastar Qory NJSC, have been announced. The contest marks the 185th anniversary of Ibrai Altynsarin, the nation’s teacher and a pioneering educator.

The contest aimed to recognise the work of Kazakh-language media outlets and journalists abroad, strengthen the information space in the native language, and deepen ties between Kazakhstan and its diaspora.

Participants were ethnic Kazakh journalists who are not citizens of Kazakhstan and are officially employed by media outlets abroad, along with Kazakh-language publications registered outside Kazakhstan. Applications were accepted online from 13 to 29 October. Around 20 applications were submitted across three categories: Best Media Outlet, Best Journalist, and Best Young Journalist.

At its meeting on 30 October, a jury of representatives from the newspapers Turkistan, Aiqyn, Egemen Qazaqstan and Astana Aqshamy, as well as the Media Development Fund, evaluated the entries. The jury considered participants’ experience, creative skill, consistency of work and audience impact.

By decision of the jury, the winners are:

Best Media Outlet: Bukaralyk Kazakh Radio of Bayan-Ölgii Province (Mongolia). With a 60-year history, the station received the “Best Institution of Bayan-Ölgii Province” award in 2025.

Best Journalist: Zhuldyz Zhumagulkyzy (Mongolia), a journalist with Derbes, a Kazakh-language TV channel in Bayan-Ölgii Province.

Best Young Journalist: Bekbolat Mukhtarov (Uzbekistan). He began his career in 2021 as a correspondent for the newspaper Nurly Zhol and worked for the news portal Ult.kz in 2024. Since February 2026, he has once again been a correspondent for Nurly Zhol.

The winners will be honoured during the “Kieli Qazaqstan” (“Sacred Kazakhstan”) project, to be held on 13–16 November in Shymkent and Turkistan. The winner in each category will receive a valuable prize.

The Otandastar Qory NJSC congratulates the winners of the contest!

Press contact:
Alzhan Sharipov, Press Secretary, Otandastar Qory NJSC
Tel.: +7 775 510 5191
E-mail: otandastar.press@gmail.com