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Such a life full of adventure

having it all
Last Updated 08 May 2015, 16:16 IST

By the time she was nine, she had changed close to 14 schools, owing to her father's career in the Indian Navy. A Chevening scholar, her foray into the radio industry was a 'happy accident'. She travels 28 days in a month, but likes to view her itinerary as a stress buster in itself. Nisha Narayanan carries with her an infectious amount of energy that will leave you grinning from ear to ear at the end of a conversation with her.

As the COO of Red FM, she has plenty of instances that highlight her eventful life thus far. Coming from a family that has no connection to the media world whatsoever, her entrance to journalism was completely accidental.

"I was studying for my Economics exam. And I was bored. The radio was playing in the background. All India Radio was calling candidates for an audition. And I just ended up going there. All they asked me to do was speak behind a microphone and I didn't want to say no. And the next thing I know, they want me!" Nisha says of her first experience with the mike.

And it has been a fun ride ever since. There were no formal training sessions. Everything had to be learnt through observation and one had to have a keen eye for detail, she says. Radio is her first love, she professes, although she has been extensively involved with television, documentary films making, among other things.

This love was probably why she got back to radio, ultimately. The mike and the camera, Nisha avers, are two very different experiences. On the radio, you're just a voice, but you can connect to people well; it's a different feeling altogether. "I got to meet a diverse set of people. I was constantly learning and facing new challenges and opportunities. Where there's a willingness to learn, there's nothing that can beat you," she asserts.

Considering how Nisha has always liked to stay away from the limelight and preferred a backend job, she has had quite a colourful ride with RJing. So what does it feel like to talk to hundreds of people everyday and engage an entire city with powerful conversations? “It's a different world out there. We have helped people during the times of floods. We have reconnected long-lost friends. We have had callers saying they wanted to end their lives and we've had to convince them otherwise. It's so hard to pinpoint what I would choose as an unforgettable moment,” she says.

Moving ahead

Her transition into the corporate role was smooth, almost organic. "I joined RED FM as a Project Manager. I was involved in setting up radio stations across the country," recalls Nisha. But doesn't it ever get tiring, travelling constantly, I ask. "It does. I end up having breakfast and lunch in different cities, but sometimes travelling itself works as a stress buster. Moreover, if you love what you do, there's nothing really that can tire you out," she quips.

You might wonder, isn't all this a tad too much to handle, especially as a woman. "Not really. Sometimes, people may assume that you are not a hard bargainer. They may have pre-conceived notions about you; but you need to learn to break those stereotypes. I, for one, have never felt that I shouldn't do something just because I am a woman," she explains.

What about balancing personal and professional lives, is it a precarious act? "I've never felt like I've had to do that. You know how people say you need to switch off for a while to spend time with family? I don't think that works.  Figuring out how you'll manage both of them is a natural process. You need to know how to integrate it. You can't be stuck in a meeting and keep thinking about picking up a report card. It doesn't work that way," she the mother of a teenaged son.

A thorough juggler of roles, Nisha is happy that she is able to do some kind of service by virtue of a medium. "Dissemination of information to the masses is a very needful thing to do. I'm glad to be part of this industry where I'm able to do my bit. There is a dearth of radio professionals in our country. There is an untapped talent pool. We need to identify such people and offer them jobs that would make a satisfying experience for both them and us," she reckons.

Nisha has a message for those who say they don't like their jobs. Know your interests first, she emphasises; there are enough jobs for everyone out there. Find a job that excites you. Not only will this make you happy, it will also stimulate you intellectually, she adds.

It is this funda that is probably helping  her conquer new heights. Learning to manage people, thinking out-of-the-box and having the courage to correct something wrong, instead of getting upset about it...these are some of the things that make it a worthwhile experience for Nisha. She takes everything with a pinch of salt, that makes things easier. While this may sound almost incredible to most, Nisha has a rather easy explanation. "The art is in prioritising," she puts it simply.

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(Published 08 May 2015, 16:16 IST)

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