Campus buzz: In unfamiliar territory
Journalism students venture into Naxalite-hit West Bengal to document ordeals of the Santhal tribe.
Seasoned journalists know the importance of seeing before believing and this lesson holds great importance particularly for young reporters. Even accomplished professors who teach these budding journalists the tools of the trade, believe that practical experience is most necessary for a holistic understanding of any subject.
In an attempt to gain ground experience, a team of six postgraduate journalism students from the India Today Media Institute (ITMI) in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, ventured into the Naxal-ridden wilderness of Junglemahal in West Bengal in June this year. What started off as a class project went on to take the shape of a critical documentary on the Santhal tribe. Although the students tried to prepare their schedule and script in advance, exploration of this relatively media shy area revealed several aspects that they only discovered on the way.
The enterprising students-Akash Pandey, Ashutosh Dabral, Debarati Roy, Jyotsna Singh, Ruchika Sandolkar and Samarth Singhal-formed a team and divided responsibilities, preparing a list of people and locations they would cover. They arranged interviews beforehand and spoke to government officials and locals through one of the team members, Debarati Roy, who is from the same region in West Bengal.
Despite planning in advance, they were faced with a host of obstacles when they reached ground zero. People who had earlier agreed, for instance, now refused to talk on camera and the students even received subliminal warnings from almost everyone they encountered.
Situated in the Red Corridor region that experiences considerable Naxalite-Maoist resurgency, these students discovered that these tribal villages were stuck in a political tug of war between the Naxalites and the law enforcement agencies. While they received visions of a better life from both ends, development was far from becoming a reality. "Of the tribals, many are lured into the Naxal fold through assurances of food, safety and stability, while on the other end, the law arrests them on false claims of being Naxalite without trial. They therefore do not know who to trust," says Akash Pandey, creative head of the team.
"Sometimes we got permissions and concessions from officials on account of being students. That was a boon for us as we got access to locations and people, which are not available to other journalists," says Jyotsna Singh, communication coordinator of the team. The team was encouraged and guided by Shashidhar Nanjundaiah, Dean of ITMI, who has mentored broadcast students in creating groundbreaking documentaries at various other institutions in the past.
"They learn a lot while finding alternatives to the challenges and roadblocks they face. Field experience gives them confidence to interact with people and strive harder for what they want instead of giving up," he says.