A Priest Reporter at CWG

By Thomas D’Silva & Jimmy

New Delhi: A Catholic priest reporting the Common Wealth Games from Delhi. Hard to believe? Meet Fr. Ramesh Babu Matta on the sidelines of the Media Centre at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. He is a part of ‘Infostradasports,’ a wing of the Games News Service (GNS). He is assigned the post of a senior reporter and flash-quote reporter.

Wearing the official uniform of a grey T-shirt, black trousers and a half-jacket bearing the logo of the GNS, Fr. Ramesh says, “Everyone is expected to communicate effectively. So what is wrong in my being a priest and doing the job of a reporter?” Well, he is the only priest among the 1,500-odd media personnel involved in covering the Games.

“God has his own way”, he explains. Hailing from Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh, Fr. Ramesh enlisted himself for a Masters Course in Broadcast Journalism at National Institute of Social Communication, Research and Training (NISCORT) in August, 2010. As the luck would have it, the GNS was looking for Indian reporters to join their staff to cover the CWG-2010 in Delhi.

When they approached NISCORT, the students were overjoyed at this golden opportunity. So most of them sent in their CV. But Fr. Ramesh was down with malaria at Holy Family Hospital, Delhi, and could not submit his bio-data. The next day when many students went to attend the interview, behold Fr. Ramesh too was there. “I just believed in God and my ability, and went for the interview, though I had not submitted my CV”, he confesses. Where there is a will there is a way.

Fr. Ramesh has drawn some attention in the media circle. The Malayala Manorama has interviewed him and has projected him as a ‘priest with a difference’. “I have an appointment with the Asianet Channel today”, he says looking at his watch.

How does he enjoy as a reporter? “At CWG, I work as Crew of Infrostradasports. We provide news, flash-quotes, previews and reviews of the sports to Tissort, the official broadcaster of the CWG-2010”, he replies. He is proud of the way the events have unfolded so far, beginning with the grand opening ceremony. “We have showcased our rich heritage and diverse culture”, he says beaming with pride. “Please do not brood over the negative aspects which defame our nation, but be positive. Be a responsible Indian, with social responsibility and reverence to home, our nation”, he added in a preacher’s tone.

When asked to share his experience, Fr. Ramesh found hard to paraphrase it. He said, “I am just a media student, yet God has given me an opportunity to be a senior reporter for GNS. Isn’t it great?” Then he added, “I could learn a lot by being in the field: how a reporter has to be alert, how the media people work in the background feeding data, the homework a reporter has to do to cover news and so on”. One of his achievements has been making friends in the media industry. He prefers to see media not as an industry, but as a ‘ministry’.

As the Games now come to a close, he feels: “As of now everything is going on well with the competitions. I am looking forward to the eagerly awaited closing ceremony.” And the NISCORT is looking forward to receive its hero student.