There Is a Story Behind Every Human and I Want to Be the Voice That Narrates That - Manju Latha Kalanidhi

My mission is to tell the story of every one of the 97 lakh people residing in Hyderabad. There is a story behind every human and I want to be the voice that narrates that.

1. Tell us about your background and journey.

I was born and brought up in Telangana and I currently reside in Hyderabad, Telangana, India. I am a science graduate with a PG Diploma in Journalism. I have been working as a features journalist for over 20 years and have worked for Deccan Chronicle, MTV India.com, The Hans India, Outlook Traveller, and I currently work in The New Indian Express, Hyderabad as the City Editor. 

My role as the head of the Hyderabad supplement is to write for the Hyderabadi and about the Hyderabadi. My mission is to tell the story of every one of the 97 lakh people residing in Hyderabad. There is a story behind every human and I want to be the voice that narrates that.


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

The Indian press has a long way to go, but we are far better than most other countries including some developed countries where the press is a mere handout of the government. My visit to Kazakhstan in 2019 where I met creative artists and storytellers from across the world made me believe that Indians and the Indian press have far more power than the other citizens in other countries. 

However, with political parties and business houses investing heavily in media houses, the news is biased. Readers need to read the right kind of media to be able to help them survive. Paid media or fake news will die only when its consumption goes down. The reader yields the power to kill or nurture a media house.


3. Who is your favorite journalist and why? 

Richa Aniruddh from Delhi. Her Zindagi Live was one of the first series that threw light on human interest stories. I have been following her work, her documentaries etc, and find it inspiring that her work continues to make a difference and serves as the voice of the voiceless.


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

I believe that we get the media we deserve. If readers continue to read gossip tabloids, paid news supplements or watch unauthenticated and sensationalized news, it will grow. The unbiased authenticated balanced news media houses will die a natural death. So stop reading or clicking on news that you don't want. 

That's the best way to improve it, from the reader's side. Media houses will need to learn to survive on lean margins. They have to get technologically advanced and give the news where the reader wants - not just in the form of the morning newspaper but as late-night tweet. 

Traditional media can survive only when they continue to give authentic and balanced news, but in a format as interesting and exciting as gossip news. The media houses will have to work out new revenue models to be able to keep their heads above the water. 

The pandemic has hit the media badly as there have been no big advertising revenues. However, there will always be a 'churning out' and the best will rise. So hopefully mid-2021 will bring the best in the industry back to its full form.


5. What is your message to all aspiring journalists? 

This profession calls for complete professionalism and demands your time, attention, resources and health. You can almost never carry your domestic issues to the workplace as it is busy, hectic and packed. So expect to work at least 300 days or more a year and forget about weekends as most media houses in India work six days a week with no concept of weekends. 

I worked almost every day during the lock-down as we are so-called 'all frontline covid warriors'. Journalists are always on the call, and have to be active in engaging the reader via instant news/tweets/videos etc. Be curious, be brave, be excited, be hopeful, be balanced, be authentic and above all, be positive.


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

• Sudha Murthy - To understand the incredible community work she does
• Priyanka Chopra - To ask her what she told herself before taking the big risks in her life
• Ranveer Singh - On how he managed to win over Deepika!
• Oprah Winfrey - On how she built that huge media empire
• Ramgopal Varma - On what he is smoking/drinking these days to be able to give such hilarious interviews/tweets. I had interviewed before, but another interaction would be great.

7. Which is your favourite book and why?

My favorite books include "Daring to Drive", A Saudi Woman's Awakening, a book by Manal al-Sharif. It showed me how powerful women can be in not just driving an automobile, but driving societal change too.

"Eat Pray Love" by Elizabeth Gilbert. I have this book downloaded in my phone and it is my go-to book to revisit myself, to rediscover the world, understand the human emotions and of course, marvel at the world of travel.

Last but not the least, "Talkative Man" by RK Narayan, a tale of an aspiring journalist from Malgudi. It could partly be responsible in me loving the idea of being a journalist.

- Manju Latha Kalanidhi

@mkalanidhi

- Interview by - Sri Sravya Nalla