'WE LEARNT THE GRAMMAR OF THE MEDIA BUSINESS'

It seems like only yesterday the plane landed at MeenambakkamAirport. Six months have flown by. Many things have happened inthese months. It began with the Sri Lanka Press Institutehandpicking 20 Tamil journalists from a list of 300 applicants.Having been chosen, we still had several concerns. When we left SriLanka for Chennai, we were apprehensive about how we could dwell inanother land for six months. Some of our fears vanished after welanded in the safe environs of SRM University. Nevertheless, we werefaced with a new land, a different climate, new faces and adifferent culture. Naturally, we felt uncomfortable with all theseand were initially critical. But step by step, we became familiarwith our new environment and were finally drawn into concentratingon academics.

There can be none who do not know the red record of Sri Lanka'shistory. Since we had come from a conflict zone, the SRM School ofJournalism & Mass Communication was really at a loss as to how totackle us. The Head resorted to all available means, from lendingadvice to issuing threats, to ensure that we fell in line. TheSchool was determined on one point: No politics, not even in yourbreath! And even in academics, there was not an iota of politics.This seemed to push me, who had grown up in a place where there wasan overdose of politics, into an agonizing position. But if you askme how I survived these six months without politics, I have noanswer. Here, we have reached the end of the course. In a shorttime, we had learnt many things. Could it be that the things we havenot learnt are much more?

The diploma in journalism programme, however, opened new windows oflearning. It has taught us the cutting edges of the state-of-the-arttechnology in media. The experience of the faculty were translatedto us as the grammar of the media business. It showed us a worldthat was beyond war and any form of conflict. These six months forus came as a gift of peace and tranquillity.

This trip to Chennai helped us to understand the politics of Indiaand the culture of the Tamilians on this side of the Palk Strait.Honorary Dean Mr. S. Muthiah gave us a septuagenarian's insight intothe early history of Sri Lankan journalism thanks to his vastexperience. Professor and Head, Mr. P. Venkat Pulapaka, was even upwith us at 3 a.m. to help bring out our fortnightly Agaram,undeterred by his health problems. Assistant Professor WatsonSolomon told us that his association with us had kindled in him anardent interest in Tamil journalism. Lecturer Dr. R.K. Maya, evenwith her limited Tamil, overwhelmed us with her zest for hersubject, History. We had the opportunity to meet these people onlybecause of the diploma programme offered by the SRM University.

Academic journalism is only beginning to take root in Sri Lanka. And that too, only at the basic level. But in India there is immensescope to pursue UG and PG courses in journalism. The only drawbackis that these courses are not offered in Tamil. Since childhood,all our lessons had been through our mother tongue. Small wonderthat Tanglish in Chennai did give us not a little trouble. Thoughthis course was put on the rails in a hurry, we are proud of beingthe first batch of students of the SRM School Of Journalism & MassCommunication. Being the seed of the yet to be banyan tree gives usa great deal of pleasure. Besides giving us this opportunity, theInternational Media Support, the Danish sponsors, gave us thefunding and the security.

The course has ended. We need to return to Sri Lanka. The days inIndia have given us hope. But will we be allowed to apply ourtheoretical and practical knowledge of ethical journalism in thedifferent working environs of Sri Lanka? I have no answer. Will timeand our country Lanka grant us scope? Even that we don't know. Butwe will make the effort; and that effort itself, whether it fails orsucceeds, is a sign of the success of this course.What will happen? And when? Without knowing these answers, ourjourney back to Sri Lanka begins in a day or two.