"Be focused. Have a genre you want to follow."

Want to become a writer at Eat My News? Here is an opportunity to join the Board of Young Leaders Program by Eat My News. Click here to know more: bit.ly/boardofyoungleaders

1. Tell us about your background and journey.

I was always very observational and inquisitive about things around me. I wanted to know everything about everything and slightest of the details of things and people around me. But one thing that remained constant was my passion for journalism. I wanted to be in journalism every since I could not even spell journalism properly. I was too young and used to spell journalism as ‘Generalism’ but there was something that kept me attracted towards it since my childhood. I believe that’s what carried on as I did not have Plan B. I did not think of any alternate option as to what will I do if I do not succeed to get into media or do well in journalism. I was adamant and that’s what helped me I guess.

After school, I graduated in BA Hons in Political Science from Delhi University followed by Masters in Mass Communication from Bharatiya Vidya Bhawan. I was too eager to get into media, so much so, that I deliberately chose Bharatiya Vidya Bhawan as they offered evening classes. I used to do internships and small media jobs during the day and attend classes in the evening so that soon after my college, I have enough experience to be there right in the field. And that’s exactly what happened. With around 10 years of experience now, I feel blessed to be where I am today.

Currently, I am working as an independent journalist, primarily for international media. With an extensive experience of almost 10 years, I have published stories in foreign brands such as Daily Mail, The Daily Mirror, Grazia, Marie Claire, The Sun, The Telegraph etc. I am also a documentary filmmaker and some of my films were shown by Discovery, TLC and Channel 5.

2. What is your opinion about press freedom in India?

Well I have worked for Indian media for about seven years and now I work primarily for international media. There is a system everyone follows and not much can you do about it. There are set protocols each organization follows. As journalists, we are to abide by the same.

However, as independent journalists, we have some liberty to choose our own ideas and angles we want to give to our story but there as well, we then have to find the right platform that could possibly run our story and not a lot of organizations want to do that as they feel it is against their organization’s protocol. And, it is unfortunate to see some journalists in our country being killed, attacked, even as the reason behind the same could be many.

But we cannot ignore that it happens. It makes me sad to see some journalists who have done such great work or have some great stories have to struggle to prove the authentication of their leads, stories or fight for right platforms to showcase what they have to offer.

3. Who is your favourite journalist and why?

My favourite journalist is Helen Roberts. She is a London based journalist who has covered India for international press and my mentor honestly if you speak. The detailing of a story, the depth of an issue, giving the right angle to a story, importance of technicalities in a story and a right pitch is what she has taught me. She has helped me a lot and given me the right direction to follow. I am just following her footsteps. And after that, it might sound a cliché, but I’d say myself.

4. What do you think about the quality of journalism in India and how can it be improved?

I feel journalists should be given more freedom to follow their ideas and creativity instead of just following the norms and set of rules of an organization. Journalists need to be accurate with their research and cross check their facts instead of just following what their rival channel is possibly showing.

Journalists need to be absolutely unbiased as they are the ones people look up to for any information. Honesty is important to have anybody’s trust and if journalism becomes dishonest, its audience will lose its trust in it and therefore, as we say, one of the key pillars of the democracy in India, media will lose its credibility.

5. What is your message to all aspiring journalists?

Be focused. Have a genre you want to follow and understand your reason why you want to be in it because journalism is of no use until you have a passion for it. Don’t get into it just because you feel it’s glamorous. Trust me, it only sounds glamorous, it really is not. It needs a lot of courage to be a real journalist. Just being on camera or seeing your name published in a newspaper or magazine should not be your goal, you have to be that face and name that is remembered by people… remembered for doing a great work, remembered for showing them the real side of a story.

It took me around six years to just decide what my inner self wanted to cover. I started my career with covering entertainment, then sports, then national beat, then crime, health etc. After doing all of that, I finally decided to leave it all and cover what makes me the happiest and that is anything that could bring a change to the society. I am now an investigative journalist as well as special correspondent who do only specific and special human interest stories which are impactful.

6. If you could interview one famous person, who would that be and why?

I would not say any particular person but I guess any famous person who does not like to answer in detail because I love to get details out of people especially who avoids doing the same. It gives me that kick because it is challenging and I love to succeed in what is challenging.

7. Which is your favourite book and why?

I love to write instead of reading. I hardly even read my own stories after they are published and I am honestly not a book lover. I have read a few books, but have mostly left in between. I think the only book I’d ever finish reading and love would be the one I’d write myself.

- Charnamrit Sachdeva

Interview by - Saumya Jaiswal