What was your first job as a journalist?
I joined as a trainee at Hindustan Times in Chandigarh as the edition was being set up. Got to learn a lot in the process.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Yes. A Kofa when I was in college.
How is social media changing news?
It is becoming one of the top sources for news and is a primary distribution channel.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Tintin
What does it mean to be a journalist?
It is a lot of responsibility. You are the eyes and ears of the people and what you say matters to them.
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Via mail with a clear line on what the angle is
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
I write mostly on Google docs and am glued to Wordpress.
What's your favorite social network?
Facebook
Who do you wish followed you?
Amitabh Bachchan
Why did you become a journalist?
That is the only thing I wanted to do. Yes, I have more rose-tinted visions of this job.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
Yes, I edited our class magazine for three years and was part of the editorial board in college. There the challenge was plagiarism.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
I was the first to write about how satellite imagery was becoming a security threat. This was in 2001.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Stay focussed and work hard. There are no short cuts.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
Write about competitors.
What's your favorite drink?
Black coffee
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
At the smartphone
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
New York Times and Economist.
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
That all you have to do is write about gadgets
