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Inspirational Woman: Anita Naidu Pawaskar | Radio Professional & Radio Host, Mumbai

Radio Microphone
Anita-Naidu-PawaskarTell us about yourself

Well I’m a radio professional having worked in radio for the last 20 years. I started in school in the UK as a hobby and went onto make that hobby my profession. Now I host, manage, teach, conduct workshops and create and new concepts for radio.

I’m actually an electronics graduate and went on to do my masters in English literature and then followed it up with an MPHil in American literature followed by a thesis on the element of music in black American short stories.

Music is basically an embedded chip in my life. It’s followed me in my career, from educational CBTs to dotcoms to TV to educational learning activities, and finally full time radio.

Being able to connect and communicate with a vast fraternity of people gives me absolute happiness and to understand and relate to their varied professions makes life all the more prosperous.

I was nominated and selected for the US Embassy prestigious IVLP – International Visitors Leadership Program 2012-2013. The topic was how we can use the electronic media through social art engagement programs and how it can help our own cities grow through education, theatre, TV, radio, the arts etc.

My greatest achievement was setting up the international format for radio in Mumbai , despite the risks and surviving in a predominantly Bollywood music radio market.

What has been your biggest challenge in achieving your success?

To lead in a male dominated work force – the strive to perfection and yet maintain a balance between work mates and family. My challenge is to constantly evaluate and create content that is valued by my target audience and by my consumer.

What has been your greatest achievement personally?

Winning the hearts of my listeners and credibility in the market. My greatest achievement was setting up the international format for radio in Mumbai , despite the risks and surviving in a predominantly Bollywood music radio market.

If you weren’t doing what you do now, what would you be doing?

I’d be travelling the world, meeting different people, exploring different cultures – their history, music, literature and architecture – and creating the story of our lives, our city, our planet and documenting it as a story to be told.

Who has been your biggest inspiration?

Well there’s been two people. The first is my father who said: “You can achieve anything if you try. It’s just a matter of time and a whole lot of patience” He also said: “There are never failures. That’s just testing waters. Once that’s over, the sky’s the limit to your success”. The second person who has inspired me to progress in my radio my career and look beyond is Indira Yesupriya Gajaraj (AIR SD Madikere n Ex ASD Bangalore). She has this never die spirit and the energy of an 18 year-old where you don’t stop at anything, you just do it. Indira always gave me the space and platform to learn, experience and perform, and that’s what I do today when leading my teams.

What does the future hold for you?

I’m looking at working more with indigenous forms of learning; education, teaching and training through the arts, and also working on setting up my own radio management career program for students. I’m also working on voice-enabled programs and concepts.

My challenge is to constantly evaluate and create content that is valued by my target audience and by my consumer.

About Anita Pawaskar

I presently work with 94.3 Radio One. Before that I was with 98.3 Radio Mirchi as Group Head – Corporate Programming for more than nine years and with AIR – Bangalore for six years. I was also associated with Damden Infotech, APT Interactive and Ascion to name but a few. In addition, I have conducted radio workshops and lectured at Whistling Woods, Manipal University, Christ College Bangalore, Mount Carmel Bangalore and many others. I have also worked with developing educational programs with schools in Bangalore and internationally. I developed CBT training programs for Wirebond Technology and A level and O level programs for the South Asia Market. Ultimately I want to learn, experience, create and give back this working knowledge, that drives one to succeed in a leading progressive environment.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/anitanaidu

Twitter: @Anitaondemand

Email: [email protected] and [email protected]

Linkedin: Anita Naidu Pawaskar

Anita is a WeAreTheCity Mumbai Committee member. Click here for details of the full team. Click here to read WATC’s interview on Radio One Mumbai.

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