My Experience at the Hindustan Times

Internship: An Experience

After an anxious wait of 4 days, I along with my colleague Sreeram climbed the portals of the awe-inspiring 17 floor building of the Hindustan Times (HT), the premier newspaper, at Kasturba Gandhi Marg, New Delhi. We were given the reference of Ms. Ruchira Hoon, the senior reporter but she put us in contact with Ms. Ruchika, the Human Resource (HR) officer of the HT, who after interviewing us assigned us the departments for internship.

The next day, I met  Harshvardhan Rathore, my guide at the multimedia department on the first floor of the building. He was very courteous. But I was impressed by the head of the department, Raja Sharma Rymbai. He instructed me of the basic task of the multimedia department and that I would have to suggest various news or human interest stories for making three-minute videos to be uploaded on the HT website. That I would be trained under senior reporters in scripting the story,  handling the equipments, shooting the video, the manner and method of interviewing and finally filing the story for the video.

On the first day, I had to scan through the newspapers, surf the Internet for breaking stories, and as and when a topic or theme strikes, look for the details in the Google, the search engine. I suggested more than 20 topics, of which some of them were approved by Mr. Rymbai. Then I had to script the story, give a ‘header’ and ‘kicker’ (lead), which had to be approved, by Mr. Rymbai himself. Once, approved, I was was supposed to arrange for the shoot. And once the arrangements done, I was given the camera and the cab to go to the site for the shoot.

In my 25 days of internship, I could go with the senior reporters to interview Mr. Masanori Fukuoka, a Japanese Arts collector at Vadehra Arts Gallery in Lajpatnagar, Mr. Anna Hazare, who had sat on an indefinite fast at Jantar Mantar, the Wills Lifestyle Fashion Week at Pragati Maidan, the Indigenous Northeast Festival at IGNCA, the Bihu Festival by the Assam Association, etc.

The most interesting, challenging and at the same time learning experience was going by myself with the equipments, in the cab assigned by the HT to the site of my story interest and doing the shoot and interview single-handedly. The following videos based on my stories are uploaded on the HT website.

1.      The Origin and Growth of Udupi Vegetarians Hotels

2.      The History and Future of Noida

3.      Delhi Braces to Beat the Heat

4.      Delhi Christians Observe Good Friday

5.      Women Safety and Importance of Self-Defence

6.      Candle Light Victory March at India Gate

Also I could learn the Podcasting, working with FCP video-editing, handling of the camera and equipments and dealing with people in a corporate atmosphere. And above all I got the opportunity of observing the buzz of activities going on in a newspaper industry: such as division of departments, division of labour, the fluctuation of sometimes the work light and at other times heavy and taxing, etc. By my work and relationship, I could elicit trust and regard for me. On two occasions I was even allowed to take the equipments home for the overnight shoot.

I am very grateful to Dr. John Edappilly, the dean and Mr. A.J. Philip, the faculty at NISCORT for having arranged my internship at the HT and providing me this life-time experience.

My Elder Brother: Bautis Dattu

“He is the carbon copy of my eldest son, whom God called before time”, had exclaimed my mother on 21^st May, 1965, giving birth to Baptist- ‘the one who came in advance to prepare a way for me’ (as I was born next to him)!

Fourth among the children and the eldest of the five brothers, Baptist was an introvert, soft-spoken but handsone, very intelligent and talented son of Mrs Stella and Mr. Marian D’Silva, our parents.

Blessed with intelligence and interest to learn, always sweet in talk and singing, ever in a hurry to perform the never ending errands given by daddy, his left hand (he was a lefty) moving always for mischief, and his back often having the marks of stick- the rewards by daddy for naughty deeds, Baptist led the way for the rest of us- the ‘Pancha  Pandava’  brothers!

With Fr. Hippo and his brother Lok Sabha member Joseph Toppo

It is said- ‘boys learn from their peers’. In the jungle of Mantrady we had hardly peers, except the five of us, learning from each other. And our Baptist ‘dattu’ (dada) was our headmaster- giving us the ‘lessons of life’. We grew up not so much as brothers, but as friends.

It was fun: swimming and fishing in the river, ploughing-planting-harvesting etc. in the farm, helping dad in the clandestine timber-charcoal-distilling the cashew fenny business in the cover of darkness, sneaking out for ‘Yakshagaana’ melas, bull-race, cock-fight etc. at night, taking our dogs- Koora, Tiger, Blacky into the jungle for hunting, looking for bee hives, stealing the cashew seeds, mangoes and jackfruits from the neighbours… oh I can go on.

But the most important ritual of the day was- at least one fight a day and the evening ‘panchayat’ by our ‘spirit-filled’ daddy. Of course the judgment was invariably- the ‘criminal’ had to bring a stick from the tamarind tree from the backyard to be used by the stern judge- our daddy! Our ‘dattu’ was the main actor in the whole drama.

One incident is etched in my memory- when we were troubled by fowl-insects (in Konkani, ‘kunkudso’), we shared our problem with Sunder, our regular worker, who advised (cunningly though) to take the insects in a ‘baaraat’ (wedding procession) into the jungle and come back quietly. We the five brothers on a Sunday wearing the dad’s dhoti & coat, mummy’s blouse and saree, literally did it, of course to be laughed at by our daddy and mummy, for our foolishness! Our dattu was the leader in all these.

When our dad passed away in April 1987, our dattu had to take the role of a father-figure. Well, how could he be a father, without a ‘mother’? So the first ‘bhabhi’ (sister-in-law) in the family, Gretta D’Souza, the long-time fiancée of Baptist, became part of Hithlu House as they formally tied knot on May 7, 1990. Bhabhi soon adjusted to the new role and mummy was relieved of much of the   work and other responsibilities.

It took a while for mummy to adjust to the first daughter-in-law as sometimes the scenes of TV soap opera show- ‘kabhi saas bhi bahu thi’ started unfolding at Hithlu House. But there was a new lease of life with the arrival of the grandchildren: Vinita, Vikrantha and Vishala. She was an affectionate and caring grandmother to Vinita, now pursuing B.Com; Vikrantha, studying BCA and Vishala in her Class-X.

My Baptist ‘dattu’ was ambitious and anxious to study, but situation warranted it that he stayed at home to look after the farming. Now, he wants his children to chase those dreams as he is works hard in the farm and earns to educate them. I wish and pray for the happy family of Baptist dattu.

Resurrection of Jesus- The foundation of Christianity

The resurrection of Jesus has long been central to Christian faith and appears within diverse elements of the Christian tradition, from feasts to artistic depictions to religious relics. In Christian teachings, the sacraments derive their saving power from the passion and resurrection of Christ, upon which the salvation of the world entirely depends.

In the teachings of the apostolic Church, the resurrection was seen as heralding a new era. Forming a theology of the resurrection fell to Apostle Paul. It was not enough for Paul to simply repeat elementary teachings, but as Hebrews 6:1 states, "go beyond the initial teachings about Christ and advance to maturity". Fundamental to Pauline theology is the connection between Christ's Resurrection and redemption. Paul explained the importance of the resurrection of Jesus as the cause and basis of the hope of Christians to share a similar experience in 1 Corinthians 15:20-22:

But Christ really has been raised from the dead. He is the first of all those who will rise. Death came because of what a man did. Rising from the dead also comes because of what a man did. Because of Adam, all people die. So because of Christ, all will be made alive.

Good Friday Observed in New Delhi

Header               : Good Friday Observed in Delhi

Kicker                 : Christians in Delhi joined the rest world over in observing the Good Friday, the day when Jesus Christ was crucified in 33 A.D.

Good Friday is a commemoration of the Crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ at Calvary in the year 33 AD. This day is called ‘good’ because the Christians believe that by the death of Christ, mankind is saved from sin and eternal damnation.

On Good Friday, the Christians fast and make the way of the cross, re-enacting Christ’s walk to Calvary carrying the heavy cross.

The church service begins at around 3.00 PM with the reading of the Passion of Christ which is an account of the suffering and crucifixion of Christ.

 The most important part of the ceremony is the unveiling and veneration of cross. Everyone comes and kisses the cross, the symbol of salvation.

During the forty days of Lent, culminating on Good Friday, Christians make sacrifices and the amount saved is offered to fight hunger and poverty.

 No music is played in the church. And all return home silently mourning for the sins and waiting with hope, for the Easter Day,  the day of Christ’s resurrection.

The link to the Video is attached here below:

http://www.hindustantimes.com/audio-news-video/Good-Friday-observed-in-Delhi/Article2-688847.aspx

My Story on 'NOIDA' in the Hindustan Times.com.

The story on NOIDA - conceived, shot and given voice-over by me as an intern at the Hindustan Times can be accessed on the following link:

 http://www.hindustantimes.com/audio-news-video/Noida-Its-History-and-its-Future/Article2-687619.aspx

Thomas D'Silva

A Visit to INA Super Market

Raja Sharma Rymbai, at INA supermarket

It was a spontaneous suggestion by Raja Sharma Rymbai, my boss at the multimedia department of the Hindustan Times to  make a story on the progress of Noida City in the past 36 years. The city was established on 17th April 1976 by Sanjay Gandhi as a major hub of National Capital Region, Delhi.

The cab and the camera kit were ready and started off at 4.30 PM. On the way it was a surprise visit to Intelligence Network Agency (INA) super market. at Aurobindo Marg, I N A Colony, New Delhi, 
 ‎The scene, the buzz of activities, the variety of kitchen and household goods on display were something out of ordinary! I had never seen anything like that before.

It is an inter-continental market where anything and everything for the household purpose is available. It is a place frequented by any who is who in Delhi!I could spot some Africans, Europeans, Chinese and of course ever bargaining my own class- the Indians!

On display were groceries, toilet articles, vegetables, fruits, fish from the rivers and seas, chicken, pork, mutton... everything! I felt I had entered into a world of Harry Potter,  a fantastic but very real world!

Udupi Cuisine

1.Header:                           Origin and Growth of Udupi Vegetarian Hotels

Kicker:                  In an age when fighting to be fit is the target, Udupi hotels, founded on vedic traditions of strict vegetarianism seem to be the way.

Udupi, a coastal city near Mangalore, in South Karnataka is famous for two things: Udupi Cuisine and Manipal Medical College and Manipal Institute of Information Technology.

While the aspiring medical and engineering candidates rush to Manipal in Udupi, the vegetarian hotels have moved from there to the length and breadth of the country spreading the aroma of Udupi cuisine.

Our HT team visited Udupi Restaurant at Karol Bag to have a taste of the world famous Udupi dishes. In the past, these restaurants were run by cooks and priests trained at Krishna Mutt, established by renowned Vaishavite Saint Madhwacharya, at Udupi in the strict vedic tradition. What is the origin of Udupi dishes and why do people like vegetarian food now a days?

The variety and range of dishes here is wide, using grains, beans, vegetables and fruits. It adheres strictly to the vedic tradition of Indian vegetarian cuisine, using no onions or garlic, as well as no meat, fish, or shellfish.

Following is the link to the video on the story:

http://www.hindustantimes.com/audio-news-video/Origin-and-Growth-of-Udupi-Vegetarian-Hotels/Article2-687115.aspx

Anna Hazare V/s. the Rest of Indians!

Candle light victory rally at India Gate (Photo: Thomas D'Silva)

As an intern at the Hindustan Times (HT)- multimedia department, I was deputed to go India Gate to cover the candle light victory march, called by Anna Hazare at 6.00 PM on Saturday, the 9th April. The HT media cab took me and the police readily opened the parking gate for the 'media' personnel!

Photo by Thomas D'Silva

The vehicles mounted with Satellite dishes of various channels were lined up and there was a buzz of activities going on: People in small groups with candle lights sloganeering- 'Anna Hazare zindabad' 'hum tumhare saath hain', 'vande marataram', 'ek, do, tin, chaar...khatm  karo bhrastachar'...; the veteran journalists showing off their virtuousity at 'live coverage'; the amateur ones trying to impress their bosses of their reporting skills; etc.

But what I found the most amusing was- parents bringing their children clad in patriotic costumes and presenting them to the camera for a 'live' coverage; everyone is looking for one reporter or other to present the well-rehearsed sound-bite; ... Oh, I can go on narrating the drama unfolding at the India Gate... talk and talk, slogans- one wittier than the other, placards a galore in colourful shapes and sizes, and the media trying to make the most of it!

Do you call them- Anna Hazare's Crusaders? Or is it the publicity stunt of some media savy citizens? Or is it the TRP clamour by the media magnates? I was confused- absolutely! Being a novice in the art of 'live' coverage and 'point and shoot' technique, I tried to imitate some of the professionals. But there were too many wanted to speak... and too much of talk.... whom will you listen anyway! I thought there is already 'corruption' happening in the very act of crusade against it!

Photo: Thomas D'Silva

I thought to myself- will Anna Hazare invite people to 'maun vrat' (silent satyagraha) so that the Rest of India gets on to serious business of Drafting the Jan Lokpal Bill and roots out corruption from the country.