My Autobiography: My bad luck with print media continues . . .
I generally don’t do something unless I have to. Even though I indulged in creative writing in school, I wrote only if it had to be done as an assignment. Contributions for school magazine was voluntary, and, as you can guess, I never sent any article/story.
Once, in my 9th Std. my Tamil teacher specifically asked me to write an article for the school magazine. Since it was requested, I had to do it. I wrote something (I don’t remember what it was about) and sent it. It was published also. When I got the magazine in my hand, I was surprised to see the name printed as ‘Radhesh’ instead of ‘Rajesh’. It was a mistake! To compound my bad luck, there was a guy in my class called ‘Radhesh’!! 😛
During college, I applied to the ‘Student reporter’ program in a Tamil magazine called ‘Ananda Vikadan’. I was required to send an essay, and I was selected. I went to their office and was given some psychometric tests. I was selected in that too. Then they asked us to go out and bring a story.
Initially I was clueless, but then I spoke to a few people on what they thought about going abroad. For some reason, people replied enthusiastically to me! I collected some interesting points, wrote it as an article, and submitted it to them. I was selected in this round too.
Then came the final round. Questions from the MD of the magazine. He asked me ‘What do you want to become?’ I replied ‘I want to start my own website.’ (Think of it – that’s what I am doing now! Wonder how we get to know these things before so many years, that too while studying engineering!!). I was promptly rejected. Maybe they were looking for people who wanted to become a reporter and join them. . . .
Fast forward to now. I was contacted by someone from ‘The Hindu’ newspaper and I was asked to give a quote regarding the Tower park in Anna Nagar, Chennai. I replied what I knew, by email. That quote was published in a supplement titled ‘City’s Pride: Anna Nagar’. I was waiting with bated breath to find my name on print (at last), but, the name was printed as K Ramesh instead of K Rajesh!! In my haste, I had mentioned the name incorrectly in the email! Anyway, here’s the mention (just below ‘Down Memory Lane’) –
Hmmm . . .
On an (un)related note, I was more lucky in a slightly different print medium – printing on cloth! Have a look at my new T-Shirt ~ 😀
😛 🙂 😛
Destination Infinity
I feel sorry for you. I know how you would have felt when your correct name was not appearing in print.
I have a very low opinion of The Hindu. I have no respect for them. In the last 5 years, I have pointed out to them 3 times for grammar mistake. The corrected their mistakes. But never acknowledged my email. Also, they are supposed to be impartial. But they are communist sympathizers. When the Malaysia Airlines plane was shot down by Russian supporters over Ukraine, all newspapers wrote “Malaysia Airlines plane was shot down”. The Hindu wrote “Malaysia Airlines plane crashes.”
As a new “novelist” I understand it sucks. But hey here’s a trivia for you, did you know that ARR’s name wasn’t even published in his first album, the world famous “Roja”? They forgot to put his name on the poster and CDs. So perhaps you are on the way to stardom as well 😉
Thanks to your comment, I am already visualizing DI becoming as popular as ARR 😀
Destination Infinity
Ah, there’s no problem with the name. Actually, I prefer ‘Destination Infinity’ appearing instead of my name, anywhere! 🙂
Destination Infinity
DI neenga engayoo poitteenga!! It’s nice to know that you have actually lived up to your words w.r.t the website. And how come I never knew that you were an annanagar resident? Same to same ya 🙂
Actually, I am a Mogappair resident now. But since these two places are nearby, I sometimes use Anna Nagar as my place of residence! 😛
Destination Infinity
Some things take time. What happened in the scriptwriting workshop?
We were asked to sign a document that we won’t convey what happened in the scriptwriting workshop to anyone, including writing blogs, sharing in FB, etc.!! That’s why I have not written anything about it. But it’s difficult to summarize/recollect what happened in 8 days. Most of the learning happened at the sub-conscious level, I hope.
Destination Infinity
Did you forget to reply to my comment or is it an intentional omission? I can take it either way.
The fourth comment is actually a reply to your comment. But since the second commenter has accidentally replied to your comment (instead of writing a new comment), it appears in the fourth place instead of the second place.
Destination Infinity
Very interestingly written and I feel like reading more at one go
It’s easy to write interesting things in an interesting way 🙂
Destination Infinity
Thanks Rajesh.
congrats
sometimes it happens
like the idea of printing the website address on shirt
Yes, I wanted to do that for a long time, finally got it done! 🙂
Destination Infinity
Your writing strikes a chord always! Today, it made me laugh (though, maybe that was not your intention!) Keep at it and Destination Infinity is going to be a super hit!
Thanks 🙂 Generally, if I write something serious, ppl. find it funny and vice versa. But in this case, it was meant to be humorous! 🙂
Destination Infinity
My blog is also wake up from the desire to start my own website… but not as early as you when things weren’t clear. I never participated in any of the contest or essay writing when in school, but only once I was in the team of Villu Paattu for the 50th Independence Day. Sorry for the mistakes with the names published in print media… I too had my quote once on ‘voice your views’ column in Hindu metro plus on Pets in Apartment.
Congrats on both the villu pattu appearance and getting your name mentioned in the ‘voice your views’ column of The Hindu.
Destination Infinity
I would always participate in essay writing competitions in school and got my share of prizes.Yippeee! I never wrote anything for the print media and never thought about it either(dear me!) Better luck next time. 😀
I think I am more lucky with digital media than print. At least my name appears as I want it to! 🙂
Destination Infinity
Radhesh, Ramesh?! Weird. I think ‘Destination Infinity’ will be your permanent name. The shirt looks good.
You were selected in Ananda Vikatan Young Journalists interview? Great.
Forget the past, now you are a writer, blogger. You can be happy!
I was selected until the final interview, then I was rejected! Yes, now I am happy about what I am doing, but it has been (and will be) a roller-coaster ride. At least for the foreseeable future!
Destination Infinity
I feel bad for you Rajesh, that your name has been constantly misspelled. That’s just too, too irritating. But how could you make that mistake by signing off as K. Ramesh. Didn’t you check before hitting the send button?
No, I didn’t check. I think I was in haste and hence typed quickly. Generally, I don’t misspell my name, but this time it happened. But it’s OK, my actual name is not as important as ‘Destination Infinity’ for me! 😛
Destination Infinity
That’s so sad. Having your quote published but with a different name. Why did you send your name as Ramesh? Typo?
Make sure next time you get something published, your name is correct. You should check for your name multiple times in future. 🙂
If it was ‘Destination Infinity’ I would have checked the spelling multiple times. But this is just my original name 🙂
Destination Infinity
congrats DI, I know the name thing sucks but never mind we all know its you 🙂 now that you have told us
hopefully next time it will be printed right and hey since you sent a email , why dont you set up a signature , so each time you compose a email the name etc are automatically inserted at the bottom of the email, that way you will never spell it wrong ..
and that is a lovely pic of the url on tee, I want that tooooo 🙂 good idea ..
Bikram’s
Signature is an excellent idea. I will create one for all outgoing mails in the future. But the issue is, I need different signatures for different mail accounts and I receive them all in Thunderbird. Let me see if there is an option to create individual signatures. Thanks for your idea 🙂
Destination Infinity
People often take it upon themselves to misspell my name and write Aswini. Something which I detest. So naturally, in many instances when my name had to be quoted, it would read Aswini CN. I know how it feels when our occasional moments of fame are marked with instances like this.
And as for the trivia shared about ARR. Now you know you’re going places 😉
At least there won’t be many other Aswini CNs. But that’s not my case 😛
Destination Infinity
I can relate to this post! This April, a prominent e-newspaper ‘interviewed’ me by email for the A to Z Challenge. I gave a nice paragraph and guess what, the reporter while trying to paraphrase it in her own words or shorten it, messed it up completely and icing on the cake was the name. She mentioned about a blogger who was not even participating in the Challenge!! Such a big let down 😐
Oh, I have heard of shortening the interviews, but putting another blogger’s name instead of yours is too much!
Destination Infinity
Very unfortunate that you were mentioned in different names, good side is that the content got published.
Another article in Hindu mentioned by name in the 3rd page, more recently. So happy 🙂
Destination Infinity
That must have been a bummer – misspelled name – I know I would have been disapointed also.
A small comfort is perhaps that people who read that article and your quote also perhaps stumble upon your blog. So now they know or will know that the quote came from you 😀
Yes, there is some consolation in everything. The very fact that they carried my quote is a positive 🙂
Destination Infinity