A Woman, An Island And A Heart Full of Love

Even in the age of Social Media, we humans are social beings. Even sages run away from secluded life. Can you think of a lonely life that too in an isle? People are raising their ante for women empowered. Here I’m going to tell a real-life story of a self-empowered woman who lives in an island, accompanied only by a dog, cat and an eagle. A small boat keeps her in touch with the external world.

Nose in Search of News

In 2003, I started my journalism career as a student journalist with a leading magazine group named Vikatan. At that time, I was doing my B.Sc degree in Chemistry at Government College in Chittur, Palakkad, Kerala. After completing my schoolings in Tamil Nadu my family got shifted to our native place in Palakkad. I did my higher secondary at Koduvayur Government School in Palakkad.

After completing my higher secondary education with a first class, I got a seat for B.Sc in Government College Chittur. I applied for student journalist during my second year at college. There were three rounds of selection. One screening was based on the write-up sent along with the application form, second screening was on the basis of the test conducted to evaluate the news sense, writing ability and general knowledge, and the final tests were on the basis of the direct interview, group discussion and a field reporting test. After passing all these hurdles one would get to know whether he/she was selected as a student journalist.

Only college students who would continue their studies during their journalism training period were eligible to apply. My first attempt was during my second year, in that year, I reached the final stage but I couldn’t clear that round. I got disappointed after that, all my expectations went wrong, at that time, I didn’t even know the basics of journalism. I waited for a year to apply for the second time, during that period I closely observed the articles published in all the magazines published by Vikatan Group. I considered my second attempt as my final attempt as that was my final year at college and I never thought of doing post-graduation.

Like the previous year, I cleared two rounds and made it to the final round, this time, I gained more confidence and that helped me to become one among the 42 student journalists who were selected from 2,460 applicants from all across India. That was the proudest moment in my life and I still consider that as a major milestone of my life. My life could be divided into two, before getting selected as student journalist and after that. You will also realize this soon by reading the upcoming articles.

I got two-day training in Chennai as part of the enrollment as student journalist. Experts, writers and previous year student journalists shared their experiences with us. Selected student journalists who successfully completed their one year training were awarded with distinction and outstanding certificates; the experience shared by them inspired me to a greater extent. I decided to be in their position to share my reporting achievements after completing my tenure as student journalist with Vikatan. Actually that became a reality but the path towards it was not that smooth as I was the only student journalist in that 42 member batch who represented Kerala and all others were from Tamil Nadu.

One of the advantages other trainees in my batch got was the guidance of the staff reporters available in all the districts of Tamil Nadu and the other advantage was that as Vikatan is a Tamil Nadu-based media group, news happening in the State gets more prominence than in other States like Kerala.

After the training sessions, I reached home with lot of enthusiasm. There was no one to guide me and I didn’t know how to find news sources, and how to fix appointments with interviewees, as soon as I realized this some kind of fear struck me. The first thing I did was to get a camera, an auto-focus one. After loading the camera, I set out my journey to find news. My nose was not that much sensitive to identify news from non-news. Taking photographs in public places made me nervous.

I took a lot of time to take a snap of a herd of stray cows that were relaxing on the busy road near Victoria College, Palakkad, that was my first snap and the first unpublished news item as well! After seeing the print of my first snap I began to admire myself as a budding photographer. After this first news hunt, roaming on the streets of Palakkad in search of news-worthy items became my routine.

At that time, I didn’t realize the need to understand the media for which I report. Meanwhile, my fellow batchmates began to get several bylines for their local news items. On the other hand, despite sending several news items, I couldn’t manage to get even a single byline for about two months. All my initial confidence vanished away. Weekends and public holidays were the time for my news hunt, on other days I attended college. Slowly after several attempts to get a byline I found the missing factor of Tamil Nadu link to my news items. At last, I got a byline for a Tamil film poster-based box news item. It was the poster of 'Thulluvatho Illamai', Dhanu’s first film, with a caption quoting the film as an adults only film. I felt shy to tell my friends about my first byline, but the unexpected appreciation which I got from one of my Tamil professors boosted me and became my first dose of confidence to explore the unfamiliar terrain of journalism.

Upcoming article: An adventurous search for a lonely woman in an island named Kavaayi near Kannur.

Diary of a Reporter

Reporting is a challenging job and is considered as an unique profession that suits those with special qualities to identify the pleasant fragrance of news-worthy elements. Sensationalism has become the pulse of news and it helps to add more visibility to the news. Hard news are converted into semi-hard news by adding drama elements to it, visual media is playing the role to perfection. Now a days, more than information, infotainment is considered as the prime motto of most of the news stories.

Many of them among the public have misapprehensions that reporters are super humans and they are gifted with certain special qualities that make them extraordinary in nature. But the reporter only knows the fact hidden behind this belief. The glare of publicity offered by the media has some magical effects that make the celebrities to rummage around the media, which converts the reporter as the messenger of media God.

While considering the theory, reporters should have to possess certain inbuilt qualities that include he/she should be ‘jack of all things and master of none’, inimitable quality of interacting, mainly mastering the art of questioning (questions for question sake!), acquire the peerless quality to overcome adversities, inimitable skill in using language, and the personality and glamour quotients are part of visual media.

Above mentioned are the qualities of a reporter, I’m also a reporter I don’t think that I have had the above mentioned qualities in me! But for the last six years I’m actively involved in contributing captivating stories as part of my stint with various media groups. During my stint as a reporter, I came across several interesting personalities (I’m sure they are not celebrities) but the way in which they approached life and the way in which they are leading life created an urge in me to approach them for a soul-searching interview. For the purpose of interview and to approach that news-worthy personalities, I traveled hundreds of miles to the interiors of jungles, islands, hilly terrains, bustling towns, charming villages and the list goes endless.

I’m a reserved person by nature and I don’t process the impressive quality of interacting with unfamiliar people. But, my interest in the field of reporting changed me a lot and gradually with my untiring efforts I realized that it is not the art of questioning that bring the information, it is the art of listening that brings in the desired results.

My experience over the years as a reporter taught me one thing that a reporter should have a third eye view when approaching a so-called human interest stories. Rather than ferreting out truth he/she should create the ambiance for the interviewee to come out voluntarily to express the news-worthy elements.

This blog is an attempt to register my experience; it is also an attempt to introduce some of the rarest individuals with unusual qualities. You are going to travel back with me in a time machine; I will show you the interesting realities hidden behind the news stories.

I take pleasure to thank my editors who supported me by understanding my desire to register the other side of limelight. Without their encouragement my wayward journey would got interrupted. I also thank my parents who allowed me to take risk, most of the time I didn’t revealed the risk factor linked with the news story (the one in the hamlet 15 kms inside a dense forest) I have worked with many budding photographers who shared a good wavelength with me and were willing to take risk for a fantastic snap. Initially, my unusual news sense threatened them, but later they felt impressed and still cherish the memory with them.

Dear friends, get ready for the adventurous journey away in the wild to find the unusual life stories…