TRYST WITH GAMES

Rita Joseph

The 19th edition of the Commonwealth Games held in Delhi saw Niscortians accomplish a golden goal. A few lucky ones were chosen as reporters by Infostrada, an International Games News Service while others were assigned to do side stories. What was designed to keep the students gainfully occupied during the two-week break came as a blessing in disguise. Each student was able to realise the journalist in him or her, they showed they had a nose for news. It was a win-win situation for both. Those chosen got a life-time opportunity to cover a sport in the mega event while others got a broader canvas to give fillip to their imagination and churn out a number of stories. They fired on all cylinders, acquitting themselves creditably. Even seasoned reporters from prominent dailies and electronic media had not hit upon some of the stories that our minnows could easily manage. Everybody, including the NISCORT management, were amazed at the potential of the students. The Niscortians proved their mettle. It was a classic example of what opportunities can do for a person. How it lets one bloom.

PERFECT START
Just as the Commonwealth Games, initially mired in controversy and scandal, suddenly rose like a phoenix from the ashes likewise the students contrary to expectations surprised all with their zeal and skill with the pen and the lens. The secular media was forced to turn the spotlight from the Games and athletes to the unique media persons ~ a priest and three nuns. They hogged the limelight with the media focussing on the religious and clergy wielding the pen and that too for sporting events. The religious crew, including priest Fr Ramesh Babu, not only enjoyed their moments in the sun but also starred on TV channels and dailies.

Srs Anu, Beena Varghese and Jisty Varghese covered the shooting events. Their job as flash-quote reporters involved interviewing the marksmen just as they finished the event. Sr Anu who had never seen a pistol in her life, came out with all guns blazing. “It wasn’t easy, some of the players’ accent was difficult to understand. Moreover, we had to take down the quotes immediately which was quite a challenge. Besides travelling early morning from Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh (NCR region) to Gurgaon in Haryana was no mean achievement. Many a times we missed lunch. Yet, it was a very enriching experience. We learnt how to coordinate and better organise ourselves,” said Sr Anu who had never ventured out of the convent.

Fr Ramesh Babu who was hospitalised with malaria when the Games News Service came to the NISCORT, presented himself at the interview sessions without even having forwarded his CV. His faith in God and in his ability saw him being selected to work for GNS at the weightlifting events which were held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. He also tasted a few moments of fame when the electronic media trained their cameras on him after his colleagues disclosed his identity. A priest covering sports was rather unusual and this was grist for the media mill. Fr Ramesh was interviewed and a full-length story on him was published by the Malayalam Manorama daily and many news channels, including Kerala’s leading Asianet channel, covered him. Thus NISCORT was also in the news. Besides the religious quartet, three other students, Elvy Thomas, Dhananjoy Senapati, and Jenny Thigshung also covered the Games for GNS.

STORIES GALORE
Among the other budding journalists who were assigned to do the sidelights as venues being out of bounds for them, many exceeded all expectations with their steady output. Despite having to face traffic restrictions, even movement restrictions close to venues, they sneaked into every nook and corner of Delhi and got more news than perhaps established journalists of the media. Pangam Wangnaw interviewed a taxi driver, Sunil Kumar. His story ~ BEHIND THE WHEEL, PROUDLY presented a complete picture. From how the driver got selected to his renumeration, to what all incentives they got, to why some of them left abruptly. There was no such story sighted in the print or electronic media. It was a very noteworthy effort.

Fr Jimmy, who is doing his Masters in Journalism (print media) and Fr.Thomas D’Silva, made the most of a neighbour who came especially from Kerala for the cycling events. They gave a scoop of a story “UNABLE TO KEEP THE FLAGS FLYING” on how flags could not be fixed to the posts at the cycling velodrome as these were smaller in size and how it exposed the mismanagement and lack of coordination on the part of the organisers. Gargi Parricha and Mary Martina, students of Masters in Journalism.did a wonderful piece about the participation of physically-challenged Sarah Jones story ~A RACE AGAINST ODDS. Sr Francin, not keeping too well, shifted during the break to her convent in Punjab. There she traced the medal winners returning home and the electrifying atmosphere the Games had even on a non-descript village like Dhariwal in Punjab. Her story ~ THE PERVADING GAMES SPIRIT~ embodied the fervour of the village.

Students from the North-east Christina Belho and Deiphibiang Kharkongor doing their Masters in Journalism (print media) respectively did a full-length story ~ FROM NAGA VILLAGES TO DELHI CITY ~ on the Naga policewomen, who came down for Games duty to Delhi. Biren Baliar Singh from Khandamal, Orissa, showed his journalistic skills when he penned a story likening the famous child prodigy tabla player Keshav to a young rag picker who caught his attention. His story titled THE UNFORTUNATE KESHAV won many accolades. Besides, stories were filed on problems of commuters at Games venues, a missing gate at the main stadium, medicos woes, the mood of common man and other issues. A public service video and a couple of radio programmes were also produced wherein a quiz programme was conducted and a talk show with those staging cultural shows during the Games.

TASTING SUCCESS
These and other stories and scintillating pictures of the scenes unfolding on the streets where a carnival atmosphere prevailed in the national capital were posted on NISCORT BLOG FORUM. The many hits the site recorded showed what an instant success the blog was even among a global audience.

The students thus kept the NISCORT flag flying high. The noble gesture on the part of the CBCI to provide media training to the promising underprivileged from the remotest parts of the north-east to the jungles of riot-hit Khandamal has borne fruit. The blog has shown that the reservoir of talent at NISCORT is overflowing. The blog, with its informative, insightful, inspiring and exclusive stories is a living testimony to the fruits of labour of the management, the driving force behind the stupendous efforts of the students. http://www.niscortforum.blogspot.com/ The XIXth Commonwealth Games may or may not be a turning point for the country, but for NISCORT it sure was a most memorable experience, a great stepping stone to success. The students will vouch for it.