Before he joined the Times of India as assistant editor in 1993, he was special correspondent in Moscow, covering Mikhail Gorbachev's rise and fall between 1986 and 1993 for Patriot, Delhi's semi-Left paper, and weekly newsmagazine Link. Though ideologies have fascinated him, he feels, in the changed scenario, they are losing ground. And what's taking the space? "I'm a newsman. How do I know?" he says.
As a blogger, Rajiv has been associated with TOI's online blogging site. His stories/blogs (archived here) have been a modest attempt to bring forth impressions of the life around and efforts of the establishment to influence it. Called True Lies, his new blogs can be also be accessed here.
One who has had close access to the political and bureaucratic elite in the Gujarat capital, one of Rajiv's aims has been to find out if there are any ideological considerations behind what all one seeks to do. But in a high-voltage political world, do ideologies matter? Or, is objective reality so powerful that ideologies are forced to mould and bend? He seeks to find an answer – indeed, not as an ideologue.
Rajiv currently edits Counterview, a purely voluntary news and views site, a news blog not associated or supported by any organisation, and CounterView.In, an open forum.
Contact Rajiv Shah here: counterview.editor@gmail.com
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