Interview: Jitendra Dixit

The Secret Diary of a Crime Reporter

(Jitendra Dixit is a well known figure on Indian news channel, known for his courageous reporting on various issues. The anchor of the very famous crime based show “Red Alert’ exposed many scams, corruptions and people involved. Many a times he broke many big stories in the past. After almost a decade he has emerged as one of the leading crime reporters of India and a synonym of investigative reporting.

Playing with dangers is now a part and parcel of his life. The contemporary chief of Bureau of Star News, Mumbai was also the one who covered the whole 26/11 terror attacks at Mumbai and also the whole trial of Ajmal Kasab. Later he also came up with his book ‘26/11: Ve 59 Gante’ which covered his experience of the Mumbai attacks from his perspective. Here are some excerpts from the interview)

(Published on mangalorean.com on August 18, 2010.
Link: http://mangalorean.com/browsearticles.php?arttype=Feature&articleid=1701)

‘Red Alert’ a show based largely on investigative stories laid a
foundation of a series which exposed many corruptions, scams, scandals and
many more. How the idea of Red Alert came into action?
Jitendra: Red Alert was a successful crime show and its idea was to make common citizens aware of the emerging crime trends. It had a segment "Wanted" where details of most wanted fugitives were shown and general public were asked to inform us in case they (criminals) were spotted. This "Public-Red Alert -Police" co-ordination led to arrest of around 20 accused including Maninder Pal Singh Kohli of the infamous Henna Foster case of UK. Red Alert also caused the arrest of few big time conmen. The idea of Red Alert was to involve general viewer against crime prevention and I am proud to say that it was highly successful.

Being based on investigative stories the show must have required a lot of time, struggle and dedication but anyhow it carried on for almost a decade. What problems you faced for making the show successful?
Jitendra: In the initial days ‘Red Alert’ was produced by B.A.G Films for
Star News and I just anchored for it. But later on my own team took over
its production. Talking about problems there were many. Many a times
investigating agencies, witnesses, complainants etc did not
co-operate. Our crew members and reporters were also threatened. Moreover
there were notices and cases of defamations also against us in addition to all other troubles.

You covered the historical 26/11 Mumbai attacks and also published
a book "26/11: Ve 59 Ghante" launched at Wilson College on 19/11/09. How
challenging was covering the risky work where bullets sometimes also came
near media. What all you covered in your book?

Jitendra: My book on 26/11 is a simple account of what I had seen and felt

while covering those attacks. There were few instances where we escaped
death. While reading the book one can feel the tension and magnitude of
attacks. My book could be especially helpful for journalism students.
They can cover such incidents in a better way and safely if God forbid
they happen again.

From 26/11 attacks, a new controversy started on the role of
media in covering such attacks and government blamed media for their careless behavior in covering such issues which allegedly in a manner helped the terrorists. What is your stand on that?
Jitendra: Although, being a television journalist I haven’t defended my
fraternity in my book where we were wrong. I have admitted that we
were wrong. It’s true we made mistakes. But one should not ignore the
fact that electronic media in India is in a nascent stage. Moreover,
the magnitude of these attacks was known to the world only due to the
coverage of electronic media. Media persons have been witnesses in
this case and evidence produced by them has also played role in
convicting the accused Ajmal Kasab.

Recently you talked about some mistakes in
the recent film ‘Once Upon a time in Mumbai’. What was your objection on
some parts of the film?
Jitendra: Dawood and Haji Mastan were never enemies or rivals. Haji Mastan died a natural death and was not killed by Dawood as shown in the movie. Dawood respected Mastan a lot and also worked for him in initial days of his career in underworld. Anyways "Once Upon..." is just a fiction and not a documentary. Film makers can take creative liberty.

Being one of the leading crime reporters of India, your job
includes lots of hectic hours of work, consistent pressure to perform. How
you balance your personal life and professional life?
Jitendra: Its true that professional life is quite stressful, but then I make
full use of my weekly offs and holidays. Once a month I get out for
trekking or picnic with my friends and also spend good time with my family. I
am a certified scuba diver and go for diving indents whenever possible.
Twice a year I go for a week long holiday to explore faraway places
either with family or friends.

Did you plan in childhood itself to be a crime reporter? What
dragged you to journalism?
Jitendra: As a kid I used to tell my parents that I want to become a train driver when I grew up. Just for the reason that a train driver's job will provide me opportunity to travel to distant places. Later on when I reached class eight I started writing for children's magazine and since then my interest in this profession started growing stronger. I joined Aaj Tak in 1999 when I was still a student of final year B.A.

Recently you came to Mangalore for some news coverage. How was your
experience visiting Mangalore?
Jitendra: I was in Mangalore for four days during May this year. I came here to cover the Air crash. I wasn’t able to explore Mangalore city much as most of my time was spent at the crash site or Bajpe airport. However, the first impression of
the city was that it is better organised and there is no civic mess like
in Mumbai. People here are warm and friendly.

Bachpan (Bachpan Tha Wah Ek Samay)

बचपन था वह एक समय
चंचलता एवं उत्सुकता का एक समय
समय था वह स्वक्शंदाता का
समय था वह निर्भरता का

बाग़, बगीचे, गलियारों
में हम निर्भीक खेला करते थे
बचपन की मादकता में हम
अपने ही मन की सुनते थे
बचपन था वह एक समय
चंचलता अवं उत्सुकता का एक समय

याद हमें है आज भी वो दिन
वो स्वक्षंद विचरण छितिज की और
वो जागना सुबह की मधुरिम बेला में
दिन भर की मस्ती उन दिनों के
था वह एक अविस्वर्निया क्षण
वह भी था कोई एक समय
बचपन था वो एक समय
चंचलता अवं उत्सुकता का एक समय

K V MGS Alumni Association Proposal Discussion

We must have heard from many people that life changes a lot after you leave your school. Many must have realized this how life changes after school and many other responsibility come together and we also learn to tackle them as well. But we can not ever forget the beautiful memories we shared at our school.

Kendriya Vidyalaya, Mughalsarai (K V MGS) was a school which we can not forget ever. This school no doubt gave all of us a chance to groom ourselves. Besides academics we got full liberty to participate in co-curricular activities and sports. We always found full support from the school authorities. In short we all had a golden period of our life at our school. The red and yellow coloured buildings, the three big fields, the old tree and the water tank and the very inspirational teachers like L C Ram sir, Saxena sir and many others including G D Pandey the principal who changed the face of the school forever were the things that we can't ever forget.

So i think now the time has come to get together for a noble cause. Make a day once a year to meet all the alumni of K V MGS irrespective of their batch. With the passage of time i hope the number will go increasing and can hopefully see more and more participation in the coming years and we will witness an emergence of a new custom which the the past and the future generation will always remember.

Come together for the cause.


Proposal to the Principal:

We would like to humbly request to present principal of K V MGS to kindly ponder over this issue which is of wide mass interest. We request you sir to consider on the proposal of allowing us and supporting us for organizing an alumni meet every year like any other famous celebrations like annual day, teachers day or anything else of your school and out past dreamland.

In this regard we would like to make an alumni association comprising of one or multiple teachers with whom we can consult for any issues and some ex dedicated students who can take the responsibility to carry it on in the coming years.

We would like to request you to discuss all the your issues regarding it. We will together work on it. Kindly consider our request so that for the many ex-students who are not living in MGS can get a chance to come back to the school and relive the golden days again. I think these kind of interactions can also help the present student there to meet their alumni and also to talk on their career prospects as many people working in different field can help them in telling the right path.

To the ex-alumni students:

This is just a blueprint of the proposal. Just go through it and discuss it on my blog www.manishkr2588.blosgspot.com. This is the best way to discuss as it will not take more time to open and just a web name to see all and one can also comment on it easily. Mails will be confined between two people. Kindly think and do come with more and more suggestions and advise to improve it to make it more powerful and what extra things we can do to make it a success. Just come up with your suggestions and post it through comments.

The time has come to come together for the noble cause. Just imagine the outcome if we can make it. We all can meet all those people whom we saw years ago and can interact with. Please support it through more and more suggestions. All the best

Varsha (Yeh Baarish ka hai Mausam)

Manipal is a place where the real beauty of rains can be felt. Today was just sitting silently and noticing the rains which is now like a regular deal for the last 10 days and will continue too, got back in flashback how we used to enjoy rains since our childhood and with the transition of life everything got transformed even the way we perceive rains today..A short poem at that time....

यह बारिश का है मौसम
है यह हरियाली का मौसम
बरशरहे है, टपक रहे है.
बूंदो के रूप में वर्षा के यह जल.

आते हैं यह हर साल
छोर जाते है यादों के वार
बीता है बचपन
इस वर्षा के बूंदो से खेलकर
बड़े हुए हम धीरे धीरे
वर्षा में चल चल कर.
यह बारिश का है मौसम
है यह हरियाली का मौसम

याद है आज भी स्कूल के वो स्वर्णिम दिन
वो जागना वर्षा के दीदार से
और जाना विद्या के मदिर में पूरे हर्षो उल्लाश से
वो दोस्तों का वो काफिला
वो बनारस की गलियां
सब बदला वो गलिया वो काफिला
पर आज भी वो है हमारे साथ
यह बारिश का है मौसम
है यह हरियाली का मौसम.

On 30th July 2010, 11am...

Interview with the Legend

(Published on mangalorean.com March 2010
Link: http://www.mangalorean.com/browsearticles.php?arttype=mom&momid=92)

Padma Bhushan Dr Madhav Vittal Kamath, the former chairman of Prasar Bharti and the contemporary honorary director of Manipal Institute of Communication, Manipal, is among the very few living people from the Press who have closely witnessed the freedom struggle for Independent India. He has devoted more than four decades of his life for Journalism and is also the author of more than 45 books including his autobiography 'A Reporter at large'.

Dr. Kamath was born in Udupi on September 7th, 1921 in the family of M Vittal Kamath, an Udupi based lawyer. He had two siblings comprising of one elder brother and one elder sister. His ancestors were basically from Goa who left Goa around 1760 at the height of inquisition. His mother tongue used to be Konkani. He did his primary and secondary education in Udupi itself, but went to Government College, Mangalore for his intermediate studies.

After this he joined the St. Xavier's College, Mumbai, for graduation although he wanted to become a doctor initially. He started his career as a chemist but later he came into the world of journalism and finally made it as a lifelong career. He says, "I was born in Udupi and Udupi has stayed in my blood. No matter where I go and have traveled far and wide many years, it is to Udupi that I have always wished to return because that is where I was born and brought up, where I learnt my ABC, made friends and tasted the life."

Mr. Kamath has worked as the Editor of Sunday Times for two years (1967 - 69) and then rejoined Times as the Washington Correspondent for nearly 10 years (1969- 78). He has also served as editor of The Illustrated Weekly of India. Kamath was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2004.



In the contemporary days one can meet him writing columns and books in his cabin with the very old typewriter or interacting with the younger generation.

Dr. M V. Kamath talks to Manish Kumar, Team Mangalorean.com in Manipal and shares his experiences of the last 88 years and four decades in journalism:

You are among the very few people from pre-Independent India who has seen the struggle for Independence closely. What memories can you recollect from that era?
I have a number of memories with me of the pre-Independent era. According to me the movements that had a massive effect on the struggle were non-cooperation movement, Satyagraha and lastly the quit India movement. Soon after Gandhiji came from South Africa in 1919, the first thing that he emphasized was non-violence and non-corporation movement against the British. He also led the Salt Satyagraha movement and the famous Dandi March, which compelled the British to ponder over the power of freedom fighters.

In your autobiography 'A Reporter at large' you have mentioned about some of the unsung heroes who fought for independence. Do you remember any such incidence that is related to any such unsung hero that inspired you?
Yes, I can recollect one incident that really affected me at that time. The story is about a professor from St. Aloysius College, Mangalore. Once during the Salt Satyagraha movement, he went to make salt from the sea; he was holding his hand -made salt from the sea in one hand and in another hand the national flag. The police asked him to drop both but he denied. The annoyed British policemen then had beaten him very badly. He was bleeding profusely. His wrist was broken and he could not hold anything. During the Quit India movement in 1942 his legs were broken too.

This incident affected me a lot. When I was a reporter in 1992, I wrote a column about this man who inspired me a lot. In a few days after the publication of my article, I got a call from the same man and he urged me to meet him. I agreed and started preparing to welcome my hero. The next day one lady came and knocked on my door. The lady asked me to meet the man downstairs. I was surprised as to why he couldn't come to meet me upstairs. I came and was astonished to see him. He was not in a position to hold anything. He was on a wheelchair and was made a handicap by the beating from the British. So this was the level of dedication for the nation at that time.



Have you ever participated in the war against British when you were young in any way?
In 1942, I was a chemist and a congress volunteer too. Those times being a congress volunteer was a matter of pride. Being a congress volunteer I used to distribute pamphlets and helped in managing the meetings of the congress. I attended the AICC meeting at Gwalior maidan when Quit India resolution was passed. At 1946 the war was over and again there was a meeting by the congressmen and again I was there as congress volunteer. In 1946, I became a reporter.

You also got the privilege to cover the independence midnight at Government Secretariat where a lot of congressmen and other prominent people assembled. How was the eve of Independent India?
The eve of the Independence Day was the most remarkable day of my life. The scene was very patriotic. Many patriotic songs were sung on the event. Front rows were occupied by the congressmen who had fought and struggled for the day to come. Around 1000 congressmen were there. Behind them were prominent people like J R D Tata and others.

Seconds were passing like years. Around 11:59 at night the band started the national anthem and almost all spectators were in tears, remembering the days of struggle. Even I could not prevent myself in doing so. It was the greatest day of my life.

You have got a chance to meet the history makers of India personally, who are now considered as idols like Jawahar lal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and others. Can you share one incident when you met any one of them?
I met Indira Gandhi once in Paris when I was a foreign correspondent there. She was not PM that time. We met at a farewell along with my wife. Then my wife asked her to come with us for a film on Kennedy and she came with us happily. My wife wanted to invite her for dinner. But I asked what she would give her. She (wife) said that we had only left over. She heard our conversation and expressed her desire to come along with us. She came to my house at Paris. My wife made some items that could be prepared easily. Indira Gandhi and I had a long talk that night. We started around eight in the evening and continued till 2:30 in the morning. She discussed many things with us like how her husband proposed to her and many other things related to her personal life.

Soon after Shahstriji died she became the PM of India. We again met at Paris when she returned from the commonwealth PM conference at London. But now she did not recognize me.

We have heard you anyhow managed to meet Nehru who was considered as a man who was known for not giving interviews? Tell us something about that incident?
I was at that time working for Free Press Journal. I was waiting for the saloon carrying Nehru at Kalyan station along with one photographer and one journalist from Indian Express. We were like chota bacchas (small kids) that time. Anyhow we managed to take the train. Suddenly Nehru noticed us. He asked who we were. We introduced ourselves although we were afraid. We came near him and started noticing his activities. He was silently reading books. I still remember the name of the book, it was 'The Green Hat.' I made a note of that. Near Thane station he noticed the transport of some war materials on trucks. He got angry and murmured 'What a waste of money' and suddenly asked "what do you boys think of this?" We anyhow got our stories and finally got to know more about Nehru.

If anyone visits your office, one may get surprised that in the modern era of computers, you still use type writers.
You can compare this to a situation where an old wife asks her husband why you don't marry a young girl, why you are still with me (smiles and clarifies), it is like my old wife who has shown loyalty to me for years. How can I reject it?

Many people think that we have not valued the freedom we got after so much of struggle. How do you see India after almost 60 years of Independence?
I agree that there are a lot of problems in the society. But the scenario is changing. In the last 60 years India has witnessed fantastic changes in various sectors. We are getting more and more advanced in technology. Now we can build our own aircraft carriers, we can build our own nuclear submarines; we can send man on the moon if we want. We have the talent and the energy to be the No.1 country of the world. We are great and will be greater in the coming few years.

Sunita Narain inspires me..

Sunita Narain is one among the very few people from India who is on a noble mission. The one who was chosen once as top 10 influential women of India. I really appreciate her mode of working. How she manages her institution center for science and Environment (CSE) at Delhi and also the bi-weekly magazine Down to Earth. From time to time we see her protesting on issues related to common people. She is among the one who believes in changing the world and does not blame others for the problem. The one who is a part of solution and not a part of problem.

I feel lucky that i have got the chance to interact with her twice till now. She is very encouraging and loves the people who wants to bring a change. Her mails to me were really inspiring. I think due to the noble cause of the CSE or the environmental magazine i prefer to do my next internship in the magazine to CNN-IBN or any other famous hyped media hoouse. I like the concept and execution by the people. Really want to be a part of the house.

Hope ma'm keeps doing all good work and come up from time to time with good points. All the best ma'm.