My Story

Intro

Indian's dynamic economy and growing international outlook has fuelled the transformation of its media scene  and India's staggering demographic profile - in 2020 the average Indian will be 29 years old or younger - has also caught the attention of the world's largest media houses. Pradwal is providing those young people with a publication that is the perfect blend between youth culture and social issues of today's time.

About Me

I came to Mumbai in search of my inner self. I didn't know, what I wanted to become. I saw the city and study the life. I opted for a graduation course in Media to become a journalist, but I couldn't wait for three years to start what I wanted to do. Everyone said it is impossible to become a journalist.

But I started my preparation. I don't know what lead me to join a leading newspaper of India. I always wanted to work on social upliftment of society. After working for two years, I finally decided to realize my dream. Everyone opposed me and even criticized me, but two of my friends, who believed in the same, supported me.

When I was interning with Hindustan Times, Mumbai, I got an opportunity to document a very different kind of workshop, recommended to me by my brother. I thought I would learn in terms of writing. For first two day of the workshops I did my work as a journalist. I thought that these youngsters don’t have enough to do with their time that’s why they have come here. I wondered why they were talking about such social change when even politicians are not doing it today? However, following the workshop during those days changed my way of thinking and being part of the solution rather than always thinking to do it.

Whatever social change we think about in the media, is all thanks to our awareness about the impact of the media. By raising awareness media can develop more responsible citizen in the future. And this was the thought that lead me to become an entrepreneur.

My Venture

My turning point in llife came when I observed  a Ashoka Youth Venture group of 18 young people from Mumbai who were trying to change the world with their ideas. And what I, as a journalist, doing while watching them? Even I wasn’t helping them to achieve their dreams. In the entire one-year of their journey, Indian media never covered them. I was shocked. Isn’t that a journalist’s duty? Where are they? If this is happening in Mumbai, a media hub, what must be happening to rural India? What about those small initiatives who just die because of lack of little support from media? No, I had to do something.

As media students I realized that media in today’s world is just a mean of commercialization and for the betterment of elitist class. The primary reason of using the media to the fullest, as torchlight to drive away the darkness, still remains a distant dream. At that time I realized I needed to launch “Media4Change”.

I have started a project-cum-campaign (Media 4 Social Change), which will bring about a social change in the media. The media has the capability to impact and change society. This is best done through its social coverage and continuous investigative reporting.

Our publication is “SLAP”, a mouthpiece of Media 4 Change. Through SLAP, we are turning our dreams into reality. Designed to be a youth shout box, this tabloid believes in "slapping", i.e., voicing our opinion against everything that is not quite right. Apart from a look at the normal news that the regular media provides, this newsletter acts as a representative of the youth in every way possible. It is a social youth newspaper providing the right blend of youth culture and social structure of today's times. A place to be vocal by knowing what is right and raising our voice against what is wrong. We, here, believe in making a difference and to stand apart from the rest.