Wednesday 28 September 2011

My love-hate relationship with KTO

Hi all,

Hope, you all are doing fine. Here's my story.

I would have been probably the last person to do a journalism course. But thanks to recession, some savings, and a mindset to use all opportunities that come my way, landed me at the lion's den ( read KTO's kingdom).
My first interaction with him lasted for 10 minutes, and I struggled to think of suitable words to answer him. Once, I uttered, 'I earned good money in my last job.' To which, the great jouralism teacher replied, 'Can there be

any bad money?'.

That's when I took my first step into journalism. But, at that time, I didn't even had a smallest of an inclination, the various such learning I will go through during the one-year course. I remember the time, I used to be very

angry with him, and bunked the whole day of class. But at times, I used to long to attend his three to four hours of paper revision, where he used the most choicest of words and humour to make the class come alive.

I remember, he once threw most of the students out of the institute, as we were having breakfast late, and were not spending time reading newspapers.  While most of the boys went to sleep, I longed to attend the paper

revision class. But my batchmates called me mad. We spent the whole day doing nothing.

Also, KTO had a strange habit of changing his own rules. He would deliberately, sometimes, choose the idea which were not approved by the editor of the week, and let the reporter pursues a story which he gave just for

the heck of it. There was a meaning in everything he did. If he swaps a story between reporters, much to their dislike, or asked to take a story during the last few minutes of the deadline, there was a reason. He wants to

prepare his pupils into the nitty and gritties of the professional journalism world.

I would say, your journalism is incomplete without studying under this great teacher.

Please do share your experiences and ancedotes.

A fan of KTO

Monday 26 September 2011

My super days studying under KTO

Hi all the fans of KTO,

This blog helps me share all the feelings, love, and sweet-bitter moments I faced during my year stint studying under the greatest teacher of journalism.

Holding a sheet of paper, and red pen, I never thought a 70-year-old man (don't ever dare call him 'old', he's more energetic than most 20-year-old) could instill so much fear on raw young blood.

One spelling mistake, rest assured, you'll write that word 100 times. It's hard not to concentrate in his class, because KTO spellbound his pupils with his hard-hitting revision of assignment, interspersed with crude sex jokes (mostly, at the cost of female students), which boys always end up laughing to their heart's content.

During the rush for the editorial meeting, all (read students) prefer their story ideas to get placed last in the series. But it doesn't help you avoid the humiliation of submitting a crap idea, other than facing the heat in front of a lesser audience (or your batchmates).

The man works harder than you, and he always feel restless to give his best. If he's not been a teacher, he would have probably made a great theatrical actor, considering his rich talent of toning his expressions, voice modulations, depending on the situations.

You can never accuse him of partiality, as he screws (as the boys prefer to name it) the best student, and all and sundry, including his fellow teachers, and staff at the institute.

But we all love him. I realised it after an year in my journalism career. All his ex-students will agree to it.

Through this blog, I want to create a platform where the fans of this great man can come and share their views, their experiences of studying under KTO, the fun-filled anecdotes, and all.

There are many other plans in the pipelines. Will keep you posted.

Enjoy reading it, meanwhile.

Warm regards,

A fan of KTO