My tenure as Editor of InsIghT is coming to an end. My co-editor and I just forwarded our second last issue (it was our 5th as editors) for print. For the last two or three days I was trying to recollect the circumstances in which I landed up in this position of responsibility, the things I accomplished during my tenure and the things I gained out of it, for better or for worse. With Mozart's symphony no. 25 in G minor in making its way through my media player into my senses (the same tune which A. R. Rahman took 'inspiration' from to compose the Titan watch theme which all of us must have heard a googolplex times) , I feel the urge to pen down a self-evaluation statement of my editorial tenure.
How I landed in this job
I joined InsIghT as a regular member pretty late in my IIT life. I had written a couple of insignificant articles in my freshman and sophomore year but was mostly preoccupied with enjoying life with wingmates and academics, not that I regret it one bit. But I must say that joining InsIght and writing for it had always been on the back of my head. But then serendipity had its role to play and it decided that Krishna, the then newly elected editor of InsIghT should go to the US for his summer internship. He was in Rockefeller University, NY and I was in Purdue, Indiana. Though we knew each other as fellow tams, it took an awesome weekend in NY to realize that we should have known each other better in our first three years in IIT. I asked Krishna if I could join InsIghT, he coolly said to hop on, and during the next one year made sure that I could work on articles of my choice as far as possible.
To my surprise, towards the end of the year, Krishna and Patni (his co-editor) asked me if I'd like to take up editorship after them. Of all the people in the team, I doubted my candidature more than anyone! Nonetheless I took it up, partly out of my own interest and urge to make use of my final year in IIT to do something meaningful and to acknowledge the trust that Krishna and Patni had placed on me in spite of a weak candidature. My co-editor was to be Fubu, the most cheerful and enthusiastic member of the team, academically a year junior to me but substantially more experienced when it came to working for the newsletter. The friendship that would evolve between us was to be one of mutual affection, respect and a whole lot of fun.
What I (we) accomplished
If I were to look back at our tenure and jot down a few things that make me proud, they would be the following:
1. We got together a great team of people, mostly young and vibrant, who worked because they were excited about working. That is to say we did not let incompetent people with ulterior motives stick around for too long.
2. We acknowledged good work and continually challenged team-members who we knew were putting their best for the newsletter. Barring a couple of instances that I can recollect, we gave full creative freedom to people and never dictated the contents of any article.
3. We got five issues out and I can safely say that each issue was better than the previous one in terms of content and quality. A little presumptuous, considering our fifth issue has not been circulated yet, but I am nonetheless positive on that. Further we got a new website up and running and commissioned an exclusive bulletin board dedicated to news on campus.
4. As editors, there was never a time when either of us felt let down by the other. I can safely say that for myself and I am positive in the case of my co-editor.
5. Readership increased by a fair amount. Nothing gives an editor more happiness to see his newsletter being discussed and debated upon.
What was not accomplished
1. We're getting better but we still have a long way to go before we can claim to be agents of change or the voice of an institute. One can pass the buck on to the apathy of the reader only to a certain extent. This aspect, the editors have to take upon themselves and plead guilty.
2. The attempt to awaken the student community to the lack of academic integrity and motivation lost steam pretty early. We were greeted with condescension and pessimism from many of our readers and as editors, we unconsciously decided to stub the issue for now and take it up later.
3. On retrospect, I felt we let go off some bad apples in the team too easily. The team should not turn corporate but the editors should crack the whip on undeserving ones.
What I gained from the experience/opportunity
1. Some friendships which I am sure would not have happened if it were not for this; I'd have been happy leading the ghettoed solitary life that I fancy for myself, primarily because that's where my imagination ends normally. If it were not for InsIghT, I'd have walked out of IIT without ever getting close to the wonderful likes of Krishna, Fubu, Raj, Emani, SD, Arunabh, Tanny and a whole bunch of juniors. A wonderful co-editor like Fubu is much more than one could have ever asked for.
2. On the more utilitarian side, it got me a spike on my resume which would have played a hand in getting me shortlisted for BCG and McKinsey interviews. And it probably did play a role in getting me a (supposedly) coveted job during campus placements.
3. A teeny bit of personal conviction and the opportunity to prove to myself that I'm neither entirely unsocial or entirely worthless :).
One more issue to go and I'm hoping to pass on the mantle (tongue in cheek :P) to some one willing and deserving!
How I landed in this job
I joined InsIghT as a regular member pretty late in my IIT life. I had written a couple of insignificant articles in my freshman and sophomore year but was mostly preoccupied with enjoying life with wingmates and academics, not that I regret it one bit. But I must say that joining InsIght and writing for it had always been on the back of my head. But then serendipity had its role to play and it decided that Krishna, the then newly elected editor of InsIghT should go to the US for his summer internship. He was in Rockefeller University, NY and I was in Purdue, Indiana. Though we knew each other as fellow tams, it took an awesome weekend in NY to realize that we should have known each other better in our first three years in IIT. I asked Krishna if I could join InsIghT, he coolly said to hop on, and during the next one year made sure that I could work on articles of my choice as far as possible.
To my surprise, towards the end of the year, Krishna and Patni (his co-editor) asked me if I'd like to take up editorship after them. Of all the people in the team, I doubted my candidature more than anyone! Nonetheless I took it up, partly out of my own interest and urge to make use of my final year in IIT to do something meaningful and to acknowledge the trust that Krishna and Patni had placed on me in spite of a weak candidature. My co-editor was to be Fubu, the most cheerful and enthusiastic member of the team, academically a year junior to me but substantially more experienced when it came to working for the newsletter. The friendship that would evolve between us was to be one of mutual affection, respect and a whole lot of fun.
What I (we) accomplished
If I were to look back at our tenure and jot down a few things that make me proud, they would be the following:
1. We got together a great team of people, mostly young and vibrant, who worked because they were excited about working. That is to say we did not let incompetent people with ulterior motives stick around for too long.
2. We acknowledged good work and continually challenged team-members who we knew were putting their best for the newsletter. Barring a couple of instances that I can recollect, we gave full creative freedom to people and never dictated the contents of any article.
3. We got five issues out and I can safely say that each issue was better than the previous one in terms of content and quality. A little presumptuous, considering our fifth issue has not been circulated yet, but I am nonetheless positive on that. Further we got a new website up and running and commissioned an exclusive bulletin board dedicated to news on campus.
4. As editors, there was never a time when either of us felt let down by the other. I can safely say that for myself and I am positive in the case of my co-editor.
5. Readership increased by a fair amount. Nothing gives an editor more happiness to see his newsletter being discussed and debated upon.
What was not accomplished
1. We're getting better but we still have a long way to go before we can claim to be agents of change or the voice of an institute. One can pass the buck on to the apathy of the reader only to a certain extent. This aspect, the editors have to take upon themselves and plead guilty.
2. The attempt to awaken the student community to the lack of academic integrity and motivation lost steam pretty early. We were greeted with condescension and pessimism from many of our readers and as editors, we unconsciously decided to stub the issue for now and take it up later.
3. On retrospect, I felt we let go off some bad apples in the team too easily. The team should not turn corporate but the editors should crack the whip on undeserving ones.
What I gained from the experience/opportunity
1. Some friendships which I am sure would not have happened if it were not for this; I'd have been happy leading the ghettoed solitary life that I fancy for myself, primarily because that's where my imagination ends normally. If it were not for InsIghT, I'd have walked out of IIT without ever getting close to the wonderful likes of Krishna, Fubu, Raj, Emani, SD, Arunabh, Tanny and a whole bunch of juniors. A wonderful co-editor like Fubu is much more than one could have ever asked for.
2. On the more utilitarian side, it got me a spike on my resume which would have played a hand in getting me shortlisted for BCG and McKinsey interviews. And it probably did play a role in getting me a (supposedly) coveted job during campus placements.
3. A teeny bit of personal conviction and the opportunity to prove to myself that I'm neither entirely unsocial or entirely worthless :).
One more issue to go and I'm hoping to pass on the mantle (tongue in cheek :P) to some one willing and deserving!
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