It is understandably hard for this generation to believe now- but there actually was a time in India when regional and national news were broadcast only once daily on TV and there was only one channel. Those that owned a TV back then would keep their TV room windows open so those that didn't own one could flock around and get their fill of news for the night. On especially busy nights, the TV windows would get so crowded that we would only hear the newsreader speak but not see a thing.
Irrespective of whether we got to see the TV through our neighbor's open window or not, if the news were read by Shanti Swaroop, no additional visuals were required. If he sounded especially sad and dragging while saying "Namas...karam, Ee..roju.. vaarthal..loni.. mukh..yaam...saalu" (Hello, welcome to today's headlines), everyone automatically assumed someone important had died. If he spoke in high happy pitch to introduce sports segment, we knew India won in cricket that day even before he read so. His voice was magical that way. In the 36years he served as Doordarshan Hyderabad newsreader, nobody even came close to his impeccable Telugu diction. Inspired by him, I would pick up the Eenadu daily newspaper first thing in the morning and read some obscure parts of news out, really loud. I would mimic Shanti Swaroop style, infusing emotion into my every word, much to the chagrin of my family. It was entirely because of Shanti Swaroop that I aspired to become a BBC newsreader one day (it was well before I could read coherently or even realize that BBC news would not be read in Telugu).
It is public news now though that I did not quite turn out to be a Doordarshan employee, let alone a BBC newsreader. But tonight, I had the privilege of MC'ing a Telugu association Deepavali festival and I finally had my Shanti Swaroop moment. I wrote a very long piece for my introductory statement, used exotic Telugu words that are not spoken colloquially and tried to be deliberately peppy and fun- you know, like how SS would talk about Deepavali- happy stuff. By the time I finished saying this introduction segment, however, I had an unexpected sense of sadness. The first performance I needed to introduce on stage after my initial words was a patriotic song. It was to be performed by a group of girls holding tealights in their hands and dancing to Vandemataram- lights for Deepavali, the song for our country. I guess I got a bit too much in to Shanti Swaroop mode for my thoughts were entirely with Paris. No wonder I felt all that sadness.
I was stoked from my use of exotic Telugu at this event, a little sad my husband couldn't attend the event and watch me live, and disgusted and shocked about where this world is headed after the night of terror in Paris. I guess it was just the typical Shanti Swaroop kind of day for me.
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My opening statement:
నమస్కారం! సభాయనమః!
పోర్ట్లాండ్ తెలుగు కుటుంబానికి, ఆత్మీయ మిత్రులకి, శ్రేయోభిలాషులకి,
ఇంకా ఈరోజు అతిథులుగా విచ్చేసిన సంగీత సాహిత్య కళా రసఙ్ఞులందరికీ
Greater Portland Telugu Association తరఫున హృదయపూర్వక దీపావళి శుభాకాంక్షలు.
**********
Irrespective of whether we got to see the TV through our neighbor's open window or not, if the news were read by Shanti Swaroop, no additional visuals were required. If he sounded especially sad and dragging while saying "Namas...karam, Ee..roju.. vaarthal..loni.. mukh..yaam...saalu" (Hello, welcome to today's headlines), everyone automatically assumed someone important had died. If he spoke in high happy pitch to introduce sports segment, we knew India won in cricket that day even before he read so. His voice was magical that way. In the 36years he served as Doordarshan Hyderabad newsreader, nobody even came close to his impeccable Telugu diction. Inspired by him, I would pick up the Eenadu daily newspaper first thing in the morning and read some obscure parts of news out, really loud. I would mimic Shanti Swaroop style, infusing emotion into my every word, much to the chagrin of my family. It was entirely because of Shanti Swaroop that I aspired to become a BBC newsreader one day (it was well before I could read coherently or even realize that BBC news would not be read in Telugu).
It is public news now though that I did not quite turn out to be a Doordarshan employee, let alone a BBC newsreader. But tonight, I had the privilege of MC'ing a Telugu association Deepavali festival and I finally had my Shanti Swaroop moment. I wrote a very long piece for my introductory statement, used exotic Telugu words that are not spoken colloquially and tried to be deliberately peppy and fun- you know, like how SS would talk about Deepavali- happy stuff. By the time I finished saying this introduction segment, however, I had an unexpected sense of sadness. The first performance I needed to introduce on stage after my initial words was a patriotic song. It was to be performed by a group of girls holding tealights in their hands and dancing to Vandemataram- lights for Deepavali, the song for our country. I guess I got a bit too much in to Shanti Swaroop mode for my thoughts were entirely with Paris. No wonder I felt all that sadness.
I was stoked from my use of exotic Telugu at this event, a little sad my husband couldn't attend the event and watch me live, and disgusted and shocked about where this world is headed after the night of terror in Paris. I guess it was just the typical Shanti Swaroop kind of day for me.
My opening statement:
నమస్కారం! సభాయనమః!
పోర్ట్లాండ్ తెలుగు కుటుంబానికి, ఆత్మీయ మిత్రులకి, శ్రేయోభిలాషులకి,
ఇంకా ఈరోజు అతిథులుగా విచ్చేసిన సంగీత సాహిత్య కళా రసఙ్ఞులందరికీ
Greater Portland Telugu Association తరఫున హృదయపూర్వక దీపావళి శుభాకాంక్షలు.
**********
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| Shanti Swaroop- The iconic Telugu News Reader |
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