By Our Special Correspondent
SHILLONG, March 23: Master raconteur Rajdeep Sardesai on Saturday held forth with a select audience here where he discussed his latest book 2024 – The Election That Surprised India. The spellbound audience hung on to his every word even as Sardesai, never short on words, discussed various aspects of Indian politics; its voting public who he says always springs surprises and cannot be taken for granted and ended the conversation saying, “India is a country that bounces back all the time except that we have to give a longer time span for things to change.
In conversation with Sardesai was Patricia Mukhim, Editor, The Shillong Times who put across incisive questions but which Sardesai never hedged from answering.
Sardesai was hosted by the Prabha Khaitan Foundation for its fourth session of “The Write Circle” organised by the Ehsaas Women of Shillong – Pooja Goenka and Jyoti Agarwal at Vivanta Meghalaya.
Among the questions hurled at Sardesai were, “Is it time to revisit the present model of democracy which seems to have failed?
Media students from St. Anthony’s College pointed to the failure of the national media to give due space to Manipur a fact that resonates with Sardesai’s famous quip “The Tyranny of Distance,” when he refers to the birth pangs of India’s Northeast.
He unabashedly stated that he had on several occasion pointed to his colleagues how a small incident in Gurugram is covered but it would take hundreds of deaths in Bodoland and elsewhere in the Northeast for the media to wake up.
Cherry Kharshiing, the head of department Mass Communication, St. Anthony’s College asked whether it is still worth doing journalism at this particular juncture when the media is hugely compromised and is taunted as “Godi (lapdog) media.”
Sardesai responded with gusto that India is the most interesting place to do journalism. “No two days are the same. Every day is a new day and so much depends on the passion and commitment of the journalist. There’s always something to write and report about.”
Despite the enthusiasm, Sardesai did rue the manner in which Rhea Chakraborty, who was put through the wringer by a section of the media and who was just exonerated by the CBI who found nothing to connect her to actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death but not after destroying not just her career but that of her brother’s as well who wanted to study Management abroad.
Sardesai narrated how he was accused by some in the media that he was paid money to give the counterpoints to the Rhea Chakraborty case.
There was never a dull moment in the hour-long conversation which certifies to Sardesai’s knack at story-telling.
One thing that he said of Prime Minister Narendra Modi was that he is a master of narratives and so far people have seemed to believe those narratives but for how long? “India has the capacity to overhaul itself,” he said.
On Rahul Gandhi and whether he was the best leader for the Congress, Sardesai said Gandhi does not exude the sense of dynastic entitlement but has his own leadership model.
He was, however, critical of Priyanka Gandhi who he said never proved herself but was catapulted to positions of power merely because she is a Nehru-Gandhi. So involved was Sardesai that he could barely relax on his chair but was on the edge.
It may be reminded that Sardesai has won over 50 awards for journalism and is currently the consulting editor and anchor of India Today Television.
Sardesai’s previous books include, Indian Elections 2019: How Modi Won India and 2014: The Election That Changed India, have been national best sellers. He is also the author of Democracy’s Xl: The Great Indian Cricket Story. His latest book 2024: The Election That Surprised India was released recently .
Prabha Khaitan Foundation is a non- profit Trust committed to humanitarian and socio cultural causes. Late Dr. Prabha Khaitan established it as a charitable trust in the early 1980s. Based in Kolkata, it is committed to supporting women’s empowerment, gender equality, literature, culture and the performing arts.
Vivanta Meghalaya and Sree Cements Limited supported the event as part of their CSR initiative.