#152, Kajal Iyer, TV News Journalist

By Faces of Rajkot, December 16, 2015

Kajal Iyer

The peace and quiet of Rajkot while growing up gave me the opportunity to day dream a lot. With no malls or gardens as there are today, the average Rajkot kid’s entertainment was through TV, that is only after you finished home work, of course. Watching those images on the screen flit by, I always knew I wanted to be part of the media. My parents were strict in other ways perhaps but career was up to me and they encouraged me to go for what I wanted. It is perhaps the family’s interest in current affairs and the encouragement to read just about any book I could lay my hands on that led to the eventual career choice of being in the news TV business.

Today its been more than 8 and a half years working in Mumbai for leading news channels, even if I miss being in Rajkot every single day. When I left the media in Rajkot was not that developed. If it had, I’d have been doing my favourite job in my favourite city. Things are picking up in Rajkot now and it is no longer the quiet city it was, which is great for youngsters now. But there was always something in the air of Rajkot, the industriousness of the people, which made it easier to dream big.

I don’t see the same zest to follow dreams in youngsters in Mumbai or other big cities. But those in Rajkot, dream big. Mine is one of those dreams, somewhat fulfilled.