Professional Experience:
I am an award winning media professional with over three decades of experience in New Media, Social Media, Mobile Journalism, Print Journalism, Media Education and Research.
There are two fields where I have led from the front: one is journalism and the other is media education. As a journalist, I have held worked in The Times of India, India Today, The New Indian Express, The Pioneer and the Business India Group.
As a media educator, I have set up two media schools – Asian College of Journalism and the International Media Institute of India. Besides this, I have had two stints with The Times School of Journalism.
I have led organizations since 1991, and am currently the Director of the Amity School of Communication in Amity University Rajasthan. I am also the Dean Students Welfare.
Here are some of my career highlights:
Web Journalism: I headed Express Network Private Limited, the Internet Company of The New Indian Express Group in Chennai, for almost a decade. As the Company Vice President, I led a team of 70 New Media professionals, and pioneered the group’s foray into digital media.
My work included setting up and managing news websites, developing and running an e-commerce portal, building value added services for mobile phones, creating a digital information service, technology sourcing and developing a business model around the newly developed digital properties of the Group.
Some of the revenue streams that I developed were: e-commerce, online advertising, subscription of premium content, tie up with telecom players for delivery of mobile content, online syndication, and information services.
As Senior Vice President of Indo-Asian News Service, I played a key role in converting the frame-based IGNOU (Indira Gandhi National Open University) website into a dynamic and modern education portal, a work that IGNOU outsourced to IANS.
Mobile Journalism: In 2009, I became a Consultant to the International Center for Journalists, Washington, and was assigned to set up the International Media Institute of India in Noida. As Dean of the Institute, I launched India’s first voice-based news service for rural areas on mobile phones. This hyperlocal news service won two South Asian awards and the Nasscom Social Innovation Honour for 2011. It was also recognized by Times Now, the television channel of the Times Group, for e-innovation in the Amazing Indians Series in 2011.
Media Trainer: I am on the Asia panel of WAN-IFRA Academy based in Paris. In October 2012, I conducted two workshops on “Implementing Multimedia in Newsroom” for Vietnamese Journalists. In April 2013, I conducted a workshop on Writing for digital Media for Indian journalists in Chennai.
Print Journalism: I have worked for some of the biggest brand names in print journalism. Some of the senior positions that I have held are: Associate Editor, Express News Service, Deputy Resident Editor, The Pioneer, Assistant Editor, India Week. Besides this, I have