About Me

I am highly confident and motivated person with a wealth of experience in Journalism and the media. Multi-skilled, creative and resourceful with excellent research, verbal, writing/copy-writing, broadcasting as well as multi-tasking abilities. I have a proven track record of dealing with a wide variety of programming across all radio and television including written articles for the print media. With challenging and well-thought out high risk taking abilities, I have also under-taken assignments such as reporting from a war-zone area like Rwanda; working as an under-cover reporter in the Midlands, and producing a documentary on race riots. I have also interviewed high profile people including the President of Uganda, many British politicians, film/TV celebrities such as Jackie Chan, Angelina Jolly, and many more. I have thus gained considerable insight into people when interviewing them as well as their trust. Having worked as news reporter, presenter and producer for the BBC World Service, BBC local radio and other satellite television channels, I have acquired good grounding into programme production, broadcasting and presenting. I am very persuasive, persistent, and tenacious with a dynamic personality. I have the ability to remain calm under pressure and at all times. I am very flexible and I can adapt to any working situation. In addition, I have good translation, language and marketing skills, combined with an extensive knowledge of the industry.

Acting

Accents

Employment History & Experience

I have taken parts as extras for shoots including Al Murray's Pub Landlord and for ITV breakfast very recently. For the breakfast show I had to act out various different parts for different camera shots.

I have presented programmes on television for features and news and current affairs programmes. For various features programmes I have acted out roles such as patient having treatment on body parts to use latest gadgets, a wedding scene where I was a wedding guest, an advertisement for English teaching programmes, and produced voice-overs for a variety of programmes.

Presenting

Experience

Specialist Areas

Employment History & Experience

WORK EXPERIENCE:

1995-To date: Freelance journalist/researcher for print and media research companies, London

Edited articles for Currencies Direct, global providers of currencies
Assistant editor – edited freelancers articles at Asian Age, Libas
Write news articles/ feature stories for print media and websites: India Today, Asian Age, Libas, Memsahib, Page2Page, skinstore.com. medavia.co.uk
Broadcast and produce voice-overs for educational and government related projects.
Research and compile analytical data for media related firms: Survey Shop; Market Probe; NRG

Selective Achievements:

”50Further”- I’ve just written a medical health reference book for people over 50. To be published soon
Translated into English (from Hindi) sub-titles for the BAFTA Award Winner film (2002), “The Warrior”.
Translated into Gujarati & voiced a series of women’s health/ educational programmes for the N.H.S.

.................................................................................................
2003: Under-cover reporter: Inside-Out BBC TV Nottingham
Inside-Out is a weekly current affairs programme broadcast in the Midlands region.

Employed as an under-cover reporter with hidden cameras, I posed as a factory worker and filmed textile firms employing illegal workers. I also interviewed, presented, wrote and edited scripts.

.................................................................................................
2000-2002: Producer/Presenter/News Reporter: Reminiscent Television (RTV), London
A satellite television company which transmitted a range of programmes in English and various other languages to Europe. Produced/presented the following programmes in English along with production responsibilities:

Asianet News: a daily 20 minutes news bulletin on local, national and international news stories.
Eastern Diary: A weekly 30 minutes programme on news/events/features stories shot on location.
With You In Person: A weekly 60 minutes Studio discussion/chat programme with prominent persons.
Documentaries: 45 minutes Documentary on 'Racial Tensions in Bradford’.
Directed cameramen on location/ in studios. In charge of all research for programmes, interviews, compiled scripts, edited, mixed packages, broadcast voice-overs and voice pieces to camera.
Responsible for all researchers training on television production.

.................................................................................................
1999-2000: News Reporter/Presenter/A.P./ Researcher: Channel East TV, London
Satellite Television Company that transmitted a range of programmes in English. I worked on the following programmes:

Breakfast News: reported on 3 news stories a day filmed on location around the UK.
Fashion Shows/festivals: AP (assistant producer) and presenter.
Café East: AP/Presenter for 20 series of eastern cookery programmes.
Every Woman: AP/Presenter for 3 series of magazine programmes on women.
Religion & Life Style: Senior Researcher on programmes about different faiths; on art; fashion/beauty
Directed camera men on location/studio; devised questions/scripts and briefed interviewers/ presenters. Researched stories; broadcast voice-overs; mixed and edited programmes. Supervised junior staff; organised props and items for studio based shows.

...............................................................................................
1989-1998: Freelance Producer/Reporter/Presenter for BBC Radio/Television, London
Produced reports, features and documentaries in English for BBC World Service, national/local radios as well as BBC television.

Selective achievements:

Reported from Uganda on aids, tourism, human interest stories for BBC World Service programmes.
Produced/presented a documentary on 'Asians Returning To Uganda' in 1993.
Reported from Rwanda on the civil war and interviewed politicians.
BBC World TV - Reported on political crisis facing Asians in Kenya.
BBC 2: Timewatch - Senior Researcher on documentary called ‘Remember The Ugandan Asians’.
Scooped a political interview on the Maggie Thatcher Government’s cabinet reshuffle.

.................................................................................................
1987–1988: Radio Producer/Reporter/Presenter on secondment to BBC Local Radio HQ, London
In charge of production of a range of programmes which were syndicated down the line to all local radio stations around UK including:

Radio reports, features and documentaries on news/current affairs.
Studio manager for Asian/Afro-Caribbean News.
Supervised freelancers on radio production skills.

Modelling

Experience

Employment History & Experience

When I worked for Jane Norman - a boutique in the West End, during my student days at college and university, I used to be their size 8/10 model for all clothes purchased by the Fashion Buying department.

Extras Work, Partipant, Contestant

Languages Spoken

Experience & Qualifications

General Experience

WORK EXPERIENCE:

1995-To date: Freelance journalist/researcher for print and media research companies, London

Edited articles for Currencies Direct, global providers of currencies
Assistant editor – edited freelancers articles at Asian Age, Libas
Write news articles/ feature stories for print media and websites: India Today, Asian Age, Libas, Memsahib, Page2Page, skinstore.com, medavia.co.uk, demandstudios.com
Broadcast and produce voice-overs for educational and government related projects.
Research and compile analytical data for media related firms: Survey Shop; Market Probe; NRG

Selective Achievements:

”50Further”- I’ve just written a medical health reference book for people over 50. To be published soon
Translated into English (from Hindi) sub-titles for the BAFTA Award Winner film (2002), “The Warrior”.
Translated into Gujarati & voiced a series of women’s health/ educational programmes for the N.H.S.

.................................................................................................
2010 to date Researcher/ Editorial Assistant: Push Media, London

Travelling writer profiling UK Universities for push.co.uk.
Part-time Editorial Assistant for Real World magazine – writing news/articles/feature stories; researching.

.................................................................................................
2003: Under-cover reporter: Inside-Out BBC TV Nottingham
Inside-Out is a weekly current affairs programme broadcast in the Midlands region.

Employed as an under-cover reporter with hidden cameras, I posed as a factory worker and filmed textile firms employing illegal workers. I also interviewed, presented, wrote and edited scripts.

.................................................................................................
2000-2002: Producer/Presenter/News Reporter: Reminiscent Television (RTV), London
A satellite television company which transmitted a range of programmes in English and various other languages to Europe. Produced/presented the following programmes in English along with production responsibilities:

Asianet News: a daily 20 minutes news bulletin on local, national and international news stories.
Eastern Diary: A weekly 30 minutes programme on news/events/features stories shot on location.
With You In Person: A weekly 60 minutes Studio discussion/chat programme with prominent persons.
Documentaries: 45 minutes Documentary on 'Racial Tensions in Bradford’.
Directed cameramen on location/ in studios. In charge of all research for programmes, interviews, compiled scripts, edited, mixed packages, broadcast voice-overs and voice pieces to camera.
Responsible for all researchers training on television production.

.................................................................................................
1999-2000: News Reporter/Presenter/A.P./ Researcher: Channel East TV, London
Satellite Television Company that transmitted a range of programmes in English. I worked on the following programmes:

Breakfast News: reported on 3 news stories a day filmed on location around the UK.
Fashion Shows/festivals: AP (assistant producer) and presenter.
Café East: AP/Presenter for 20 series of eastern cookery programmes.
Every Woman: AP/Presenter for 3 series of magazine programmes on women.
Religion & Life Style: Senior Researcher on programmes about different faiths; on art; fashion/beauty
Directed camera men on location/studio; devised questions/scripts and briefed interviewers/ presenters. Researched stories; broadcast voice-overs; mixed and edited programmes. Supervised junior staff; organised props and items for studio based shows.

.................................................................................................
1999: Press Officer: Action for M.E., London

Wrote press releases, articles/features and edited by-monthly magazine.
Researched materials for articles and supervised junior staff.

.................................................................................................
1989-1998: Freelance Producer/Reporter/Presenter for BBC Radio/Television, London
Produced reports, features and documentaries in English for BBC World Service, national/local radios as well as BBC television.

Selective achievements:

Reported from Uganda on aids, tourism, human interest stories for BBC World Service programmes.
Produced/presented a documentary on 'Asians Returning To Uganda' in 1993.
Reported from Rwanda on the civil war and interviewed politicians.
BBC World TV - Reported on political crisis facing Asians in Kenya.
BBC 2: Timewatch - Senior Researcher on documentary called ‘Remember The Ugandan Asians’.
Scooped a political interview on the Maggie Thatcher Government’s cabinet reshuffle.

.................................................................................................
1987–1988: Radio Producer/Reporter/Presenter on secondment to BBC Local Radio HQ, London
In charge of production on a range of programmes which were syndicated down the line to all local radio stations around UK including:

Radio reports, features and documentaries on news/current affairs.
Studio manager for Asian/Afro-Caribbean News.
Supervised freelancers on radio production skills.

Selective achievements:

Produced and presented into 5 Asian languages a series of programmes on sex and health education for entire BBC local radio network.

Qualifications & Training

TRAINING:

1998 BBC World Service - Marketing Course
1997/1998 BBC World Service - IT Courses/Computing Courses
1995 BBC World Service -Management Course

JOURNALISM COURSES:

1995 BBC World Service - Level 3 Radio Producer Course
1990 University College London - Sub-editing & Production
Journalism Course
BBC World Service - News Editorial Skills Course
BBC Broadcasting House - News-writing Skills Course
1989 BBC World Service - Level 2 Radio Producer Course
1987 BBC Training Unit - Radio Skills Course
BBC Training Unit - Radio Production Course

Other Information

Relevant Skills

Creative and resourceful with the ability to multi-task in the media.

Journalism skills: Reporting, Broadcasting, Presenting, Research, Interviewing, Writing/ copywriting, Editing/ tape editing, Proof-reading.

LANGUAGES SPOKEN: English (fluent – spoken/written), Gujarati (fluent), Hindi (conversational), Urdu (conversational), Kiswahili (basic).

Interests & Hobbies

Enjoy writing, listening to radio broadcasts. watching (and reading on) current affairs/news programmes as well as general television programmes.
I take pleasure in assisting/helping elderly people, cooking vegetarian dishes, travelling across different countries and doing yoga exercise. I like driving different types of cars.
I also enjoy researching into ancient South Asian/eastern cultures.

Miscellaneous Information

I was born in Uganda, East Africa and I have also lived in Kenya and in India. I have a clean driving licence.