Times of India, a national broadsheet newspaper had announced a contest to be selected as editor for the newspaper’s issue. Ishan V.P., a student of Bala Vidya Mandir, Adyar was among the two students selected from Chennai and had been to their Mumbai office recently. He shares his experience here:
As part of the Times of India ‘I want to be an Editor’ initiative held in December 2009, 12 students from six cities across the nation got the opportunity to meet with two of the most interesting and inspiring icons of India – Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam and Aamir Khan. Being part of this 12 member team was a great experience for me.
Meeting with the ex-president of our country was like meeting with Yoda, of Star Wars fame…one could find meaning in every word of his.
Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam in spite of being such an important and busy man took the time and effort to prepare and to give us 14 yrs olds an insight into his vision of India 2020.
He gave us a chance to voice our opinions on how we could make India the best place to be in.
When asked about how we could prevent scientific progress from affecting the environment, he explained that Science is innocent when it comes to the environment and that the effect of a particular scientific discovery depends on its user. He also suggested that to create a better environment, renewable forms of energy like solar power and bio-fuels should be used as a substitute.
His words of wisdom on spirituality, living a clean life and the fact that knowledge is capital all led to this interaction being the most enriching experience of my life.
When Aamir Khan announced his intention to join films, his friends and family told him not to waste time and to pursue further education. To this he replied, “I am not stopping my education, I am starting it.”
These simple words, to me, sum up the inspiring creative genius that is Aamir Khan.
The entire interactive session was informal and fun and he treated each and every one of us with respect.
I really appreciate the advice that he gave us, to follow our hearts and to never compromise on what we believe in. The best part was that he illustrated his points clearly through anecdotes from his own life.
What hit home most for me is that I should not be concerned about what others think of me or what I am doing, but pursue my quest for excellence in whichever field I want to.
We visited the TOI printing press and saw first hand the nitty gritty of how a newspaper is printed – right from the layout to colours to packaging. I was stunned by the tremendous technology behind the humble newspaper that lies on our doorstep every morning.
The friendly people at TOI had taken great pains to organise this event for us. I thank them for providing me with the opportunity to step into the world of journalism and experience the newspaper world up close.