The one constant at The Ken, over the past nearly three years, has been the practise of pushing our comfort zones – both in terms of stories and the people who write them. As we said when we introduced our first set of j-school graduates in May: Because we believe we’re only entering a new golden period of reinvention and relevance, rather than the “sunset” sector, rarely seen as a rewarding and challenging long-term career by most practicing journalists.
We have pushed the envelope a little further now. But, the latest fresher to join us does not come armed with a journalism degree. Instead Shreedhar Manek comes with a dual degree—a bachelor’s in Computer Science and a master’s in Urban Sociology from International Institute of Information Technology (IIIT), Hyderabad. Why the switch?
“The answer lies in intersections—the one valuable piece of advice given to any fresh graduate wondering which direction to take their career in,” says Shreedhar. “And what is a better intersection than journalism? The Ken, with its deeply reported stories, would let me channel my love for writing to my domains of expertise—technology and the urban environment.”
Shreedhar joins us as a staff writer based in Bangalore. And while he has identified his niche, we will be sure to usher him out of his comfort zone. For his benefit, and ours. As we say at The Ken, #NoPressure.
He loves a good book, traveling and trekking. He’s @blueringtail on Twitter and, like the rest of us, can be reached via email at firstname @the-ken.com.
