Raj Bhavan
Meeting the governor.
The most interesting part, for almost everyone who had come for the inaugural TS Satyan Memorial Awards for Photojournalism was the chance to visit the Bangalore Raj Bhavan. Since almost everyone were photojournalists and their families, they were all carrying cameras but then, they do not allow cameras in. But, if you get a chance to visit the Raj Bhavan, you should smuggle a small camera in and click.
Yes. it's a wonderful place, to catch the remains of the Garden City but the most interesting surprise is the Governor himself. He gives funny and very candid speeches that do not follow any standard protocols.
For instance, he will tell you stories about how he, a very busy lawyer became a lawmaker, a very powerful ministerial level one, without having to spend money and contest elections because he was close to Indira Gandhi and the Gandhis. It was a great peek into seeing how Indian laws are made in Delhi or any state capital. How leadership works, etc.
He will also tell why he is loyal to the Gandhi family and the "high-command".
He also started off his long speech by telling the audience that he allowed the event to held in the Raj Bhavan because he wanted to the speak to the press (he thinks that photojournalists actually listen?) about his point of view. According to him, and he is right, he is the first citizen of the state, and if he doesn't air his views, who else will.
Since he's appointed from Delhi, and we would ask questions about how he can speak for the rest of the state, he talked about his long association with Karnataka starting with the job he did as a lawyer for Indira Gandhi after that historical Congress split in the Lalbag Glass House. So there were quite a few interesting stories from the Congress years in Karnataka.
Then he talked abut the media and his experience with the new television channels. Here's a story he told: He once called up Rajdeep Sardesai (The Governor knew his father. In fact, this governor seems to know everybody's fathers if he held a reasonably high position in society) after hearing him make a statement about him that was not correct. He called up and corrected him and like a lawyer, presented his side of the story. Apparently, Rajdeep Sardesai told him that he couldn't do anything or offer an apology because he was forced to report that even if it was not true. TRPevam jayate?
