Youth Venture India

Prabal - INSIGHT

Posted on 20. May, 2009 by Youth Venture India in Changemaker Insight

My name is Prabal Bhardwaj & I am representing Media 4 change here. But that doesn’t mean that I started it. The whole idea of Media 4 Social Change has brought together by Smritin, Poornima & Vipin. I was one follower and I am still.

As media students we did have a short stint with the media industry where we realized that media in today’s world is just a means 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. That is the time we realised we need to launch “MEDIA 4 CHANGE”. A change we all wish to see but are somehow deprived of. A change that we need for the social betterment of the society. A change in which at some point of time the right will go to any extent to defy the wrong.

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 searched that i have the capability of being a leader. I opted for Graduation course in Media to become a journalist. But i couldn’t wait for three year to start, what i wanted to do. Everyone said, it is impossible to enter in the field as a student.

But I started my preparation and got an internship with a leading newspaper of India. I always wanted to work on social upliftment of society. According to me, Media can only provide the better place. I got the space but not the freedom to do.

After working for two years, i finally decided to work for my dream of using media for social change. Everyone opposed me and even criticized me at the extent of it. But two of my friend, who beleived in the same, supported me.

That was the start of Media 4 Change with only three Youngsters; Prabal+Smritin+Poornima. From that day, we never looked back.

But my dear friend, it will be very unfair, if I miss the most important part of the story.  When I was interning with Hindustan Times, Mumbai, I got an opportunity to document a very different kind of workshop - the Youth Venture workshop. My brother suggestedthat I cover it, saying that I would learn a lot. I thought, I will learn only in terms of writing. I talked to the coordinator Vipin and he agreed to pay me a handsome amount of money for every day, I was very happy.

I came for the workshop. For first two workshops, I did my work as a professional. I thought that, these venturers don’t have enough time to spend, that’s why they have come here. Because they were talking about such changes, which even politicians are not doing it today? So, I thought it all will go in vain.

But as soon, the workshop started moving, I was shocked. These all Ventures started becoming Changemakers. Yes, because they started achieving what they wanted to do. Ashok inspired me a lot. How a Slumboy who himself, was part of learning through sports, wants to do the same for his community. And why he wants to do it- answer was to make it better and for the future of India. Hey, what is he talking about? He already got some children as members for the project. Where the money will come from? He doesn’t know.

And he was not alone. 18 more young people like him were doing the same. They were awakening my inner self. And what I was doing? Even I wasn’t helping them to achieve their dreams. In the entire one year of their journey, they were never been covered by Indian Media. I was shocked. Is 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. I got involved one of my best friend Smritin, who thinks on similar lines. I started talking to all venturers, Volunteres and management team of Youth Venture India. Everyone felt the same way. Even one of the Volunteers of YV Poornima, was on the similar lines already. So that’s it. Enough of talking & Thinking and we have taken our first step through launching Media 4 change. YV became the base of the initiative.

We are proud to announce that we represent the next generation of changemakers around the world. Most of us, are from the field of Media. We are the students of Media and we are studying it. We also have some exceptional people, who have become journalist in their student life.

We all should start change from the ground, but media can multiply the effect. And what is wrong in that.

So my friends, this is my appeal to all of you, that if you are looking for bigger impact, you need improvement in media. And you have to do it. Media 4 Change is always there.

Visit Media 4 Change’s blog: http://www.media4change-slap.blogspot.com

What role do you think media plays in social change?  Leave your comments below.