Indian illustrator Anand R K and journalist Suparna Sharma have been honoured with the Pulitzer Prize 2026 in the ‘Illustrated Reporting and Commentary’ category.They share the honour with Natalie Obiko Pearson of Bloomberg for their collaborative work titled “trAPPed.” Combining detailed reporting with strong visual storytelling, the piece explains how cyber fraud networks function across South Asia.The Pulitzer Prize Board announced the winners on Monday in New York.Published by Bloomberg, “trAPPed” explores the disturbing case of a neurologist in India who was psychologically trapped by sophisticated cybercriminals through a phenomenon described as “digital arrest.” The project combined immersive illustrations with investigative journalism to expose the growing threat of surveillance, online fraud and digital manipulation across South Asia.The Pulitzer Board praised the work for its editorial depth, clarity and public service value in explaining the increasingly complex world of cybercrime through innovative storytelling.The book “trAPPed” also stands out for its format as it uses both illustrations and reporting to explain how digital scams can trap individuals through surveillance and manipulation.Illustrations by Anand RKAccording to the official website of Pulitzer, a Mumbai-based artist, Anand RK created the illustrations for the project. He is known for his graphic storytelling and had earlier won the Eisner Award in 2021 for his graphic novel “Blue in Green”.The reporting was led by Suparna Sharma, an investigative journalist who has worked extensively on stories related to corruption, elder care and workplace misconduct in India.Natalie Obiko Pearson, a senior investigative reporter for Bloomberg based in Tokyo, brings over two decades of international reporting experience. She has covered major global developments, including political shifts in India and Latin America, as well as energy markets. In 2024, she was a Pulitzer finalist for investigative reporting for a series on global firearms exports.The 2026 awards also highlighted the growing role of independent journalists.Photographer Saher Alghorra won in the ‘Breaking News Photography’ category for his work from Gaza. Yael Grauer was part of a team from the Associated Press that received the International Reporting award.Among major US newsrooms, The Washington Post won the Public Service award for reporting on federal policy changes, while The New York Times received the Investigative Reporting prize for coverage of conflicts within the executive branch.Apart from the Illustrated Reporting award, another Indian journalist, Aniruddha Ghosal, was recognised at the Pulitzer Prizes in the International Reporting category for an investigation into the secret use of mass-surveillance technologies by the US Border Patrol and other governments.