There can be no crazier thing than wanting to write...just so much at times that words tumble around in my mind. I have been writing my column "Footnotes from a Diary" since 2000 for the Imphal Free Press, a small English newspaper published in Imphal, Manipur. There have been periods of my column on total silent mode in between, owing partly to a conflict of interest (while I was involved with an NGO that did media advocacy) but it's safe to say that amongst those who write in Manipur, my column must be one that's stayed around for a long time. For most part, I have often joked that I write free for Imphal FREE Press but the truth also is that I have not found it in myself to write for other local newspapers in Manipur. Besides writing for Imphal Free Press, I have written for various websites like Infochange, news portals like Rediff.com and for India Today Magazine. A few of my photos have been picked up by the aforementioned media outlets and also featured in a Swedish magazine as well as included in Bertil Lintner's Great Game East.
Why this blog:
With the pathetic electricity situation in the state (Imphal, the capital gets less than 5 hours of electricity every 24 hours!), it often gets difficult to write my Sunday column and I have had to miss out a few Sunday editions. There are times when the all too familiar 'word rush' have had to be stemmed, all because there is no laptop battery to work on. There are times when I want to write short pieces. Also, I saw that many people have been checking my blogger profile and I feel I must write more here.
That's why this blog now. I will be posting my columns (the new ones as they happen but also will post old ones that are relevant to issues I flag off now) but apart from it, I will be posting shorts on books and what one hears on the grapevine, photos and commentaries.
Happy reading then!
Why this blog:
With the pathetic electricity situation in the state (Imphal, the capital gets less than 5 hours of electricity every 24 hours!), it often gets difficult to write my Sunday column and I have had to miss out a few Sunday editions. There are times when the all too familiar 'word rush' have had to be stemmed, all because there is no laptop battery to work on. There are times when I want to write short pieces. Also, I saw that many people have been checking my blogger profile and I feel I must write more here.
That's why this blog now. I will be posting my columns (the new ones as they happen but also will post old ones that are relevant to issues I flag off now) but apart from it, I will be posting shorts on books and what one hears on the grapevine, photos and commentaries.
Happy reading then!
