Dubai: A group of freelance professional journalists of Karnataka in UAE met recently to discuss their role and at the same time honored the renowned criminal investigative reporter Vijayalakshmi Shibaroor in Dubai. The brief programme was held at Fortune Plaza Hotel in Al Ghusais here recently.
The programme was presided over by Sarvotham Shetty, President of Abu Dhabi Karnataka Sangha and Praveen Shetty of Fortune Group of Hotels. Along with them, Chief Guest Vijayalakshmi Shibaroor shared the dais, as Vinay Naik who initiated the meet, welcomed them on the stage in his inimitable style.
Vinay Naik invited Sarvotham Shetty to welcome the guests and dignitaries, and he, in his welcome note cited the importance of those journalists of Karnataka in UAE who report the happenings of Karnataka based programmes in UAE dedicatedly and timely. He also stressed that these people who do this thankless job need to be highlighted, as they are the ones who show to the world of the important happenings in the mere click of their fingers in seconds. Further, he appealed to the organisers of various programmes in UAE to honour these journalists well in advance during the programme. Later, Praveen Shetty spoke a few things highlighting the role of journalists in UAE. He also mentioned that there are certain limitations in reporting news here unlike in India or elsewhere.
Later, Vinay invited and introduced all the journalists and media representatives to Vijayalakshmi. Ramesh Suvarna, Prashant Nair, Sudhakar Thumbe, Canute Kelarai, Niyaz, Deepak, Ganesh Rai, Manohar Thonse, Prakash Payyar, Raviraj Shetty, Vivek, Irshad Moodabidri, Vijay Shetty, Iqbal Uchila, Rafiq Kolpe, Herman Lewis, Sandhya Soans and Shodhan were all introduced who welcomed Vijayalakshmi with a rose individually.
Following this, Vinay invited Shodhan Prasad one of the senior journalists/social workers to share his views on initial reporting in UAE while there were very few websites and newspapers. Shodhan in the given time, briefed on how he with his fellow friend Sujay Bendore used to travel to different parts of UAE and cover the event to daijiworld and other websites, despite various difficulties they used to face logistically. He also mentioned about the special page in Udayavani for the gulf people and how the reports were appearing there. He also remembered the selfless work they were dedicatedly doing without any monetary gains with a very few people who later gave birth to a large group who again carried on the job with like-minded interests.
Manohar Thonse, a litterateur whose reports and articles used to appear in some of the leading newspapers of Karnataka was invited to share his thoughts. Manohar stressed that the knowledge of literature is very important to be a complete journalist. He explained that a real journalist needs to take up the challenging role with investigative information and then only share their reports. He added that the reports should not be limited to events but also should cover other social and folk festivities and activities.
Dramatist, Writer/Poet Prakash Rao Payyar spoke on the role of ‘Sanskriti’ in journalism. He said that according to him, the media reports should not be limited to the programmes conducted but also should have the views of the reporter in the concluding paragraph so that it highlights the importance of the event.
Later, poet and writer Irshad Moodbidri, who was recently honored by Karnataka Sangha Abu Dhabi, expressed his views about Vijayalakshmi Shibaroor in his own poetic way.
Vinay then invited the Radio Media stalwart Herman Lewis to share his views on journalism in UAE. Herman, while responding to the views of earlier speakers said that, one has to blame the journalist themselves for not keeping up their values, as most of the time people take them for granted. He asked as to ‘why media people are not compensated’ while all other professionals are paid for their job. He mentioned that the media people need to maintain their values and see that they are honored for their selfless job which otherwise goes thankless.
Investigative reporting is my passion – Shibaroor
Vinay invited Ganesh Rai, Ex-President of Sharjah Karnataka Sangha to do the honors of felicitation to the very famous vibrant Crime Reporter Vijayalakshmi Shibaroor who was on a personal visit to Dubai.
Ganesh Rai read out the felicitation note while Vijayalakshmi was honoured with a Shawl and presented with flower bouquet, fruits and a memento along with a felicitation letter in honour of her brave work in exposing criminals through her crime investigative programmes in the TV channels she has served so far.
Following the felicitation, Vijayalakshmi spoke on her rough road to success which had all the ingredients of a pot boiler. Her emotions, passing through difficult times, breath taking adventures, sleepless nights, innumerable threats to life, sacrificing family life, de-motivation in return for sincerity, unlawful defamations etc., which moulded her into a strong and brave lady. Her story boosted the morale of the journalists in the premises who accepted her as a role model.
While citing examples of her live breathtaking sting operations and current experience in her day today media life, she also briefed on how she was brought up, how the flame of fighting against crime developed in her, how she once wanted to become a sanyasin following Swamy Vivekananda’s principles and who changed her direction into becoming a journalist and finally how she opted for Criminal Investigative Journalism to become someone different from rest of the lot in this field.
The iron lady from Kateel has now become a terror for the criminal minded Ministers, Looters, Bootleggers, Notorious Gangsters etc., and because of her criminal investigative exposure through the television media, there seems to be some positive decline in the day-to-day immoral activities, especially in Karnataka. She is never afraid for her life and puts her soul into the work which she thoroughly enjoys. She is thankful to her family especially her husband for being so understanding in her real life journalism.
There were questions from the audiences to which she smilingly replied with interesting answers.
Her story gave a morale boost to all those who witnessed the programme and was indeed a proud moment especially for the freelance group of Kannadiga journalists who shared it with her. Her fighting instinct is still reflecting in her eyes and will surely take her to greater heights. We need many Vijayalakshmi’s in this fight against corruption and crime, but sad to hear that currently very few come forward in this fight.
The programme was concluded with vote of thanks by Vivek and a sumptuous buffet lunch.
