Book Release: Shobha Warrier's "Diary of a journalist"

Shobha Warrier, a Chennai based Senior journalist (presently Associate Editorial Director at Rediff dot com) has authored a wonderful book tiled, "Diary Of A Journalist The Little Flower Girl And Others" recently.  She has shared lots of her experience as a journalist.  This will be a very useful book for the young journalism/ communication students and professionals to understand the nuances of the profession.

I reproduce below the note published in the back cover of the book.

The Little Flower girl and Others: Diary of a journalist

A story teller unravels the extraordinary stories of some ordinary people. On our journey through life we meet so many people--many we forget but some leave memories that refuse to fade away.This is a collection of true stories-of actual meetings and encounters that the author had with these people over the years as a journalist. The 11-year-old flower seller with her unfulfilled dreams, the gay men forced into lives of heterosexual unhappiness,the heart-wrenching stories of abandoned HIV positive children whom no-one wants to adopt. There are poignant stories of old women in old age homes.Among the exploited prostitutes there stands out Sandhya who proudly describes how being a sex-worker has enabled her to educate and marry off her siblings.Poor home-less pavement dwellers live together amicably regardless of their religion.One old lady tells the author:"here everyone has only one caste-Ezhari jaati-(the caste of the poor). Yet what shines through these stories isn't despair but hope and triumph of the human spirit against all odds.

About the Author

Shobha Warrier works as the Associate Editorial Director at rediff.com.She is also a short story writer in Malayalam, having published three collections- Ramakundam, Meghana and Jalavidya. She was awarded the Lalithambika Antharjanam award for the young woman writer in Malayalam in 1996 for the book Jaalavidya. Her short stories have been translated into Kannada and Telugu. 

There are 36 diaries on real people, the marginalised in society like AIDS orphans, HIV+ people, transgender, gay people, abandoned mothers, sex workers, etc.

Details of the book

Title: The Little Flower Girl and Others: Diary of a Journalist

Publisher is Vitasta Publishing House, Pages- 134. Price Rs. 245

Available online - Flipkart  and rediff books. 

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Deplorable quality of debates in Tamil TV channels

TV debates in Tamil Channels 

Between 7 pm and 10 pm every day, all the Tami channels telecast debates on various themes, whether relevant or irrelevant. The quality of the debates are highly deplorable. Among the political parties only BJP and Congress are represented. None of the regional parties take part. The so called 'social workers' also join the panel. There are ready made panelists (other than political party spokespersons) who can participate in any channel, any time on any topic. These panelists can talk (most of the time shout) on theme ranging from rural politics to international politics, science and technology, nuclear physics, rocket science, kapadi to international chess, cricket or olympics, etc. They use languages which are not of good taste. How can a single person be an authority on all the subjects? They come to the debate with assumed information and start shouting in the discussions, to win a point. I see many times, the panelists with real knowledge go unnoticed, unheard and remain silent, because some other panelist intervenes often countering the points without waiting for his turn. 

More than this, the channels are highly biased, based on their affiliation. In most of the debates, either Congress or BJP gets isolated. They make 3 panelists to oppose one person. I am not able to understand this logic of lining up three persons against one. 

The big question is what the listeners get ultimately in these debates. Only the noise prevails. 

After Sathyam TV incident, wherein a caller abused in vulgar terms the Chief Minsiter of Tamil Nadu and the woman panelist,  a time has come that the TV channels should introspect among themselves and produce a decent, healthy and balanced (without bias) debates, so that the audience get the right information. 

Temporarily, I have stopped watching Tamil TV channel debates.

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PR helps to manage competition and ignoring PR during crisis will be disasterous

L to R: Jhon Arockiaswamy (GRI), Prime Point Srinivasan,
Sakthi Prasanna (MSL Group).
Divya Ganesan (GRI) leading the discussion

Srishti jointly with Indian Institute of Technology, Madras organised a two day programme for students interested in entrepreneurship inviting various speakers on various themes.  

A panel discussion on  'Public Relations and Communication was also included as  one session.  

Prime Point Srinivasan (Prime Point Public Relations and Prime Point Foundation), Jhon Arokiaswamy (COO, Good Relations India P Limited), Sakthi Prasanna (Sr. Manager, MSL Group) and Divya Ganesan (Accounts Executive, Good Relations India P Limited) were the panelists, representing the four generations of public relations professionals in India.

Divya Ganesan moderated the discussions with lead presentation.  The discussions were held on the importance of Public Relations, strategies, tools, managing brand image through public relations, crisis management were discussed.  

Srinivasan also quoted as to how corporates cut the PR budget and PR time whenever they face crisis, leading to more expenditure and complicating the crisis. He said that this phenomenon is prevalent mostly in India due to lack of PR awareness among the educational institutions providing MBA courses and also among the Corporate CEOs.

Panelists appreciated Hari Balaji VR of Srishti for including PR as one of the sessions for the budding entrepreneurs.

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Increase cyber crime awareness among all stakeholders

Dr Chellappan, Justice Jyothimani, S S Ramasubbu.  V Rajendran on podium

Cyber Society of India organsed an one-day workshop on 'Combating Cyber Crimes: Compliance and evidence" on Saturday the 9th November 2013 jointly with Anna University, Chennai at the University auditorium.  Dr Justice Jyothimani (Member Judicial, National Green Tribunal, New Delhi), Shri S S Ramasubbu, (Member of Parliament, Tirunelveli) and Dr C Chellappan, Dean of the University participated and shared their views.  

While inaugurating the workshop Justice Dr Jyothimani insisted on creating cyber crime awareness among the investigating agencies, advocates and judicial officers.  Due to lack of knowledge, many cyber crimes go undetected or unpunished, he said.  He also suggested even an act to be passed in the Parliament.

Shri Ramasubbu MP assured to take up all the suggestions received from Cyber Society of India in the ensuing winter session of the Lok Sabha.

In the day long workshop, many cyber experts, investigators, lawyers, users spoke on the various theme.

Those who are interested to know about Cyber Society of India activities may kindly visit www.cysi.in 

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C K Sardana's book "The Challenge of Public Relations" - Second edition released

Ram Naresh Yadav, Governor of M.P., formally released the book on October 01, 2013 at an impressive function at Bhopal. On extreme right is the writer, C.K. Sardana. Next to him is K.S. Sharma, Former Chief Secretary, M.P. Government.

Shri Ram Naresh Yadav, Governor of Madhya Pradesh formally released the second edition of the book titled "The Challenge of Public Relations' on 1st October 2013, authored by Shri C K Sardana, one of the veterans in the Indian Public Relations industry.  

Shri Sardana during 1980s and 1990s was heading the Corporate Communication Department of BHEL, one of the biggest Public Sector Undertakings of India.  After 1991, when the liberalisation process started in India, he was building awareness about PR among the Public Sector organisations.  He was also the President of the Public Sector PR Forum at Delhi.  

I personally know Mr Sardana from early 1990, when he was the President of Public Sector PR Forum. In early 1990s, I used to have lot of discussions with him on various aspects of PR and he used to share his rich experience with me.

With that influence and  with the support and guidance of Mr S Narendra, then  PIB Chief and Advisor to the then Prime Minister, we  started a similar Public Sector PR Forum at Chennai to bring together all the Public Sector organisations and to create PR awareness.  

In his book (206 pages), through 18 chapters, Mr Sardana has brought out in  lucid style various aspects of Public Relations concept. Though the first edition was published in 1995, immediately after the launch of liberalisation era, he has revised the second edition with additional inputs, including sensitive case studies like Bhopal gas leak,  to educate the new generation PR professionals.

There may be changes in the style and practise of public relations in the current social media era.  But whatever be the changes in the communication medium, we need to remember that the target group viz. human beings remain unchanged. Public Relations professionals deal with the human beings, their sentiments, their emotions, their culture, etc. Many eminent communication professionals have endorsed this book in their foreword.  I personally feel this a good handbook for the young PR and Corpcom professionals and corporate CEOs, to understand the nuances of the PR concept.. 

This book is published by Har-Anand Publications Pvt Limited, New Delhi and priced at Rs.225/-.

News report dated 2nd October 2013 in Hitavada

Shri Sardana after retirement is now settled at Bhopal, mentoring young communication professionals.  He can be reached at casardana@gmail.com.

I am very proud that one of my senior colleagues has brought out the second edition of his book on public relations, which has been released by the Governor of Madhya Pradesh.

- Prime Point Srinivasan

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Tata Sons Director Gopalakrishnan talks about corruption

15^th PoleStar Award Winners - From left to right:

Geetika Rustagi from Mint, Ayushman Baruah from InformationWeek (India), R Gopalakrishnan, Executive Director, Tata Sons, Arun Jain, Founder, PoleStar Foundation and Chairman & Group CEO, Polaris Financial Technology Limited, Srikanth RP, from InformationWeek (India) and  Kandula Subramaniam from Outlook Business

Chennai based Pole Star Foundation honoured 4 Indian journalists on 4th October 2013, for their excellence in Business and IT journalism.  After presenting the 15th PoleStar Awards,  R Gopalakrishnan, Executive Director of Tata Sons delivered the key note address.

Gopalakrishnan focussed on the 'corruption' in his speech.  He threw light on history of corruption in India and in other societies across the world. He said, “Just as adolescence is a necessary part of a person’s growth, widespread corruption that touches almost everybody represents an adolescent phase in a development of a nation. Just as adolescence passed, corruption also morphed from being widespread and petty to fewer but bigger instances”. When commenting about the media in India, he pointed out that “as a nation, India is the only country among the emerging markets to have a vibrant media. Though media in India can go overboard, it is however good to have an active media than a docile media.”

Please listen to his inspiring and interesting speech. (22 minutes).  

This speech can also be listened from the following link.

http://youtu.be/Pr6FaISMdk8

Photo and audio courtesy: Pole Star Foundation

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How to be successful in social media? - Sree Sreenivasan of Columbia University shares tips

Prof. Sree Sreenivasan, Chief Digital Officer and Professor of Journalism  Columbia University during his short visit to India, spent nearly two hours with the students, faculty members and social media enthusiasts at Anna University, Chennai on 5th August 2013.

During his session on 'digital media', he expressed concern that many youngsters collect lot of  information and share more information through social media, in excess of what is needed.  Many times, people have landed in difficulty for sharing more information, he added.

Prof. Sree quoted the example of more than 35,000 journalists of traditional media losing their job in US.  He also cautioned Indian media that a storm may come in another 4 to 7 years.  Since Indian media makes money through traditional media, internet media is not growing, he observed.  

He also explained as to how fast the technology was growing.  It took 75 years to telephone to reach 50 million people; radio took 38 years; television took 13 years; internet took 4 years and the latest iphone apps took only 8 days to reach this audience.  Hence, he suggested every one to make use of the technology in a more responsible manner.

Prof. Sree shared success formula for social media.  He suggested 13 factors that are responsible for social media success.  He appealed to the users to ensure that they satisfy as many parameters as possible. The following are the parameters.

The presentation of Prof. Sree may be downloaded from the following link.

http://www.bit.ly/sreeslides

The programme was organised and  coordinated by Dr Arulchelvan (Asst. Professor of Media Science Department) and Dr. A. Azad (Director of Centre for International Affairs).

Photos taken during the event. (Photo courtesy: Hari Balaji)

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How to use social media sites safely? - Seminar by CySI

Prime Point Srinivasan, Gunasekaran and S Balu

Cyber Society of India (CySI) and HTC-ITMR organised a programme on social media networking and the safety aspects on 30th May 2013 at HTC towers, Chennai.  It was a well attended programme.

Presentation on social media networking sites

Prime Point Srinivasan, Chairman, Prime Point Foundation made a presentation on the advantages, challenges and the safety aspects of social media networking sites.  During his presentation, he emphasised the need for the youth keeping themselves within the limit while using the social media and not to get addicted.  He also informed that 500 million status updates were shared; 300 million  mails were sent and 250 million photos were uploaded every day in the social media sites.  He posed the question as to how much percentage of them were useful and qualitative.  Out of all the social media usage, he estimated around 80% of them were only casual and trash.He wanted the users to think over the amount of productive professional time spent on trashes and the cost of server and the bandwidth involved in the transmission.  He also advised not share any private details in the social media sites.

Srinivasan wanted the social media to be used effectively only when it is needed and to keep away when not needed.

His presentation is embedded below.

Presentation on security and legal aspects

S Balu, Former Addl. Superintendent of Police, Cyber crime made a presentation on security and legal aspects of social media.  He shared some of the cases investigated by him, which ended up in convicatin of the culprit.  He also suggested not to share any private details in social media sites like facebook, twitter, etc.

The presentation of S Balu is embedded below.

Gunasekaran, CFO of HTC Global made an interesting presentation on the various implications of putting 'likes' and writing 'comments' on the status of others in facebook.  He even quoted a case of person's visa getting rejected, because of the person had marked 'like' to a social media status against the country to which, he sought visa.  He advised youth to be very careful, while clicking 'like' and adding 'comments' on the controversial statements found on the status.

The event was organised by Kapaleeswaran (Vice President of CySI) and Dr Muthu (Head of HTC ITMR) meticulously.  Please watch some of the photographs taken during the event.

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Convocation (Graduation day) address at Jaya Institute of Technology by Prime Point Srinivasan

Jaya Institute of Technology (JIT)

Jaya Institute of Technology (JIT), one of the Jaya Group of Colleges organised 8th Graduation Day on Friday the 17th May 2013.  Nearly 120 engineering graduates who passed out in April / May 2012 received the degree certificates.

Prof. A Kanagaraj

Prof. A Kanagaraj, Chairman of Jaya Group of Colleges presided over the event.  In his presidential address, he stressed the importance of self confidence among the youth.  He also focussed on the importance of good attitude and discipline in the life, when they undertake the jobs.  He wanted them to become good citizens of this nation.

Graduates waiting to
receive degree certivicates

Dr Suresh Babu, Principal

While welcoming the students and parents, Dr Suresh Babu, Principal of the College recalled the pains taken by the individual parents of the students, to make the students an engineering graduate.  He wanted all the graduates to fullfill the dreams of their parents.

Prime Point Srinivasan

Prime Point Srinivasan, who was the Chief Guest in his Convocation (Graduation Day) address stressed the importance of good communication skills.  He suggested all the graduates to learn as manay languages as possible, including Hindi and English properly to become successful in their career.

Please listen to the convocation (Graduation day) address of Prime Point Srinivasan (17 minutes).

Please see the photographs taken during the event.

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Demand for total prohibition by NGOs and Politicians

In the recent days, voices demanding total prohibition is increasing in Tamilnadu.  It is because in Tamilnadu, out of 6 crores of population, one crore people is in the habit of taking liquor.  The Government is earning a revenue of around Rs.25,000 crores, constituting approximately 25 to 30% of State revenue.

Tamilnadu is the only state in India where liquor is sold through the Government owned retail outlets TASMAC.  Two decades back, the Schools and Colleges were run by the Government, while the liquor shops were run by private licensees.  Now, the scene is reverse with Educational Institutions run by licensees and the liquor shops run by the Government directly.  

Since the Government is running the retail liquor shops with bar, even those who felt shy to take liquor in the earlier decades are now visiting proudly these Government owned liquor shops to take drinks.  Because of the increase in the drinking habits, large number of dalit families are affected badly.  Liquor habit spoils the health of the person also.  Mor ethan 60% of the road accident occur due to drunken driving.  

In the past few months, many of the NGOs and some of the political parties have started the movement against the liquor and demanding total prohibition in the State.

One Mr Sasi Perumal, a Gandhian from a village near Salem is on fast for the past 33 days (as on 3rd March 2013) demanding total prohibition.

All India Prohibition Council and many of the Gandhians organised National Conference at Thakkar Bapa Vidyalaya, Chennai (the Vidyalaya founded by Mahatma Gandhi in 1933 for the poor and downtrodden).  Representatives from all the States participated.  Gandhian Mr Mahavir Thyagi, Secretary of the All India Prohibition Council and former Minister in Gujarat Government was the star attraction of the Conference.  

Many of the NGOs and Political leaders participated and shared their views, in the day long Conference.  At the end of the Conference, a resolution was passed requesting total prohibition in the country.  All India Prohibition Council is now working on the Action Plan for imposing total prohibition in all the States.  

A mention has to be made about Mr Annamalai, Gandhian and Director of Gandhi Study Centre at Thakkar Bapa Vidyalaya.  Mr Annamalai and his team planned this Conference meticulously, including the time management.  

Please see some of the pictures during the event.

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Youth Health Mela 2013 at Chennai - Need of the hour

Some of the NGOs, socially conscious doctors are organising every year a Health Mela for the youth since 2012.  Youth Health Mela 2013 is being held at Valluvar Kottam, Chennai from 24th Jan to 27th Jan 2013.

The main focus of the Mela is to create awareness among the youth about the ill effects of tobacco, alcohol, junk foods, etc.  Many of the NGOs, Educational institutions have put up their stall and through their students, they are exhibiting various aspects of keeping good health.

Mr A Sharfudeen

Today, I visited the Health Mela to get the first hand information.  Various seminars, symposiums, drawing contests are held by various NGOs to create health awareness.  In the exhibition, I met one Mr A Sharfudeen (62), who got cancer due to chain smoking in the food pipe.  He lost of his vocal chord, because of the smoking.  Others may not be able to understand his voice.  Hence, he is using a vibrator like device to amplify his speech.  Through this device, he is advising all the youngsters to stop smoking to avoid cancer.

Organs speak to you

In another stall put up by students, the listeners can sit and listen to the individual organs speaking to you about how they get affected due to our life style and habits.  Mr Jgan, a III year student of Media Science Department of Anna University has made this video.  With his permission, I am now publishing this in this site for the benefit of all the youth.  If you want to congratulate this student Jagan, you can send a mail to him at jagan13media@gmail.com.

Another interesting and powerful stall is about our TASMAC.  The stall put up by Paadam, monthly magazine depicts how alcohol causes health problems.  This stall is put up like a 'bar'. 

This Health Mela organised by the various social activists have not attracted much of the TV and print media.  The mainline media have not found this worthy enough for good coverage.  I request all the readers to share this information through social media and visit this Health Mela  at Valluvar Kottam, Chennai before 27th Jan 2013.

Some of the photos taken by me during my visit.

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