Saarathi - Activities

ACTIVITIES and PROJECTS

Saarathi has organized the much needed brainstorming platform for the media and the development activists. It responds to the needs of the both sectors media and the people who are in need of development. This has helped in addressing appropriate issues and has brought about changes in the lives of the people who are in need of support.
Saarathi designs television serials including designing such serials for NGOs. As it is obvious that television serials has wider reach to the marginalized people. For instance, recently Saarathi directed Radio Program series on legal awareness, women empowerment at the request of an NGO called Hengasara Hakkina Sangha (HHS), Mahila Samakhya, Indo German Social Services Society(IGSSS), Karnataka - Bangalore based groups, Karnataka State Women's Development Corporation, Department of Kannada and Culture, Information etc,. The success of the production has given an extension of the project to another series. Common people from both rural and urban are approaching these organizations for further assistance. Like wise, it has created a pressure group on both policy makers and NGOs. Saarathi has built up an excellent professional rapport with its concerned areas.

The networking and collaborative efforts of Saarathi has resulted in bringing together people and media. This result has subsequently encouraged constant dialogue for development and social justice.

Saarathi closely associate and network with several NGOs, areas and try to explore new avenues to enlighten the public and policy makers. Saarathi has always proved to be innovative and first of its kind in these aspects.

Director- Shamantha, of Saarathi, identified visual media which includes both mainstream feature films, TV and documentary film makers which has neglected welfare of its own workers. She had started her carrier as a film journalist and as a Development Media professional (involving at all levels of film production starting from light boy to senior artists).

This interaction and observation motivated her to direct a film on FILM MAKERS --DEEPADADIYA KAATALU, a 30 mts Kannada film. This is the first initiative to make ‘A film on film makers’ in Karnataka and India.

According to one of the estimations, there are more than one lakh workers involved only in Kannada film industry. Though film workers are organized legally, they are deprived of all privileges, benefits under the law. Unemployment, poverty, illiteracy, erratic life style which is leading to other accepts all sorts job, especially commercial sex work. A few deaths have also occurred in this group and other types of STDs are very common.

When we consider HIV/AIDS as Human Right, obviously policy makers should consider film industry also seriously because, both in India and globally FILM is the media that educates the public. But the industry people are ignorant about their own body and mind. This film is addressing some of these basic issues.

Director- Shamantha's research, interviews with cine workers, junior artists confirm a need for separate attention towards this marginalized group. This film questions issue related basic health care, social security and government intervention.

The former Chairman of Karnataka Health Task Force, Dr. H. Sudarshan has regretted for the mistakes committed by the Task Force while compiling health situation in Karnataka.

As one of the future plan, Saarathi is planning to make film at a national level that involves different languages in film industry & personalities, socially committed artists and others.

This apart, Saarathi has networked with other activity oriented, committed group AID Karnataka to start a project on capacity building with film workers. More on Review on AIDS film

Rationale behind the Projects

Research in the media principles and formulae will enhance our expertise. This is our chosen path to reach the community effectively. Based on our observation and analysis we design, research and conceptualize our experience into projects.

Ultimately, our projects focus on EDUCATING THE COMMUNITY. Primarily, our projects deal with human emotions, serious issues, and communications. Obviously this will promote the building up of a new module for both Media and Development groups on how to address an issue effectively. Other fellow media professionals have accepted many of our Media concepts and approach. Educational Institutions use these programs as reference material because they are appreciated and considered as model programs at national level Communication platforms.

Our Media Projects

Our Communication Programs attempt to create communication opportunities in developing countries at the grassroots by developing appropriate tools for the creation and exchange of locally relevant knowledge within and between communities. Our approach includes organising workshops, seminars, and discussions for both development communicators and mainstream media professionals. Saarathi aims at enabling communities to understand the need for information, knowledge and disseminating the same.

Print Media

Development news normally is a dry story and it discusses the problems in detail and for a common reader always it is a last priority. This news has to be presented in an interesting and readable way. Earlier, electronic media had faced similar problems and they changed their way of presentation. Today, electronic media can influence even educated and well informed viewers.

Print media should take the initiative to involve its readers’ participation in development news. Press has conditioned its readers about development issues, and even an average reader / writer has failed to understand the concept of development. This poses a challenge for any Media professional and especially to Development Journalist. In this context, Saarathi has created a new a concept “Infotainment” which is an innovative concept to Print Media. This is a format where an issue is narrated in an interesting manner. It may be a story, drama or poem or novelette etc. It was a new initiative to Kannada print media and the Department of Information, Government of Karnataka implemented this thought and with Saarathi’s partnership published stories on various issues, help line details etc. to the common reader. This programme, “yashogathe—A Saga of Success” (collection of issue based short stories) is not only the success story of common people but also first amongst the various successes of Saarathi.

Our achievements have motivated us to conduct more workshops, training and discussions for media professionals, development communicators, field activists, school and collage students, literary people etc. So far Saarathi has trained nearly 400 enthusiastic, committed people.

Electronic Media Print Projects as well as Electronic media Projects of Saarathi have been quiet successful. Saarathi is closely networking with All India Radio as well as its FM Stations, Gnanavani-FM Educational Station, IGNOU and Television Channels. Saarathi’s Project Director Shamantha’s programs on Development issues for ETV Kannada and Doordarshan have been highly appreciated by both viewers and media experts. The concept and format of these nearly 200 documentary Features are unique to Kannada Television and people have benefited from these programs.

In this respect, we have been disseminating our knowledge and experience through various forms of mass media. This success is based on understanding and presenting each issue comprehensively along with other related issues, causes social, cultural practices etc in a creative manner. All our electronic programs are rated as A Grade from All India Radio station, FM Radio, Gnanavani-FM Station exclusively for Educational programs and TV Channels. Vast numbers of listeners & viewers are benefited from these programs. Similarly, our articles & write-ups in the Publications like Prajavaani, Sudha-a leading Kannada Daily and periodical respectively in Karnataka are being used as study material in the field, educational institutions etc.

We consider Radio and TV to be an effective medium to reach both rural and urban masses along with Print Media because ----

The audio medium has regained its popularity after 15 years. Today, in Karnataka Radio is effective in reaching people living in the even in the remote corner of the state.
TV reaches a large section of the people and visual media has direct impact on the viewers.

3 Radio is easy to use in field activities by development activists.

4. TV is an effective media for dealing with illiterate communities.

All our concepts are totally innovative and as a Principal Coordinator, I am confident of our projects success. Saarathi depends on personnel interaction with the community, people’s expectations and accordingly it designs concepts to reach them effectively.

Exchange of views with other media experts, especially from South Africa, USA, Mexico, Sri Lanka and other countries where media is playing a major role in educating the people, will go a long way in strengthening this project.

Research in the media principles and practices will enhance our expertise.

Ultimately, our projects focus primarily on EDUCATING THE COMMUNITY.

Our projects mainly deal with human emotions, serious issues & communications and obviously promote the building up of a new module for both Media and Development groups on how to address an issue effectively. Other fellow media professionals are adopting many of our Media concepts and its approach. Educational Institutions use these programs as reference material because they are appreciated and considered as model programs at national level Communication platforms.