Alumni Speak
‘My teachers taught me to use my voice responsibly’
Apeejay School, Faridabad alumna says that being first is important, but being right is more important
She started her journalism journey during COVID-19 in 2020 through an internship. She remembers going to Noida Film City during lockdown, the metro was empty, roads were deserted, and the only people you would see were police personnel, medical staff and journalists.
“Then came calls from hospitals about oxygen shortages, families looking for help and people desperate for information. They weren’t just reporting what was happening anymore. That was when she realised that journalism is not just a job,” Urvi Kar, an alumna of Apeejay School, Sector 15, Faridabad, who is working as a Correspondent & Senior Reporter, Republic Bharat News Channel, says in a candid interview.
Which lesson from Apeejay School still guides you in the newsroom?
The school gave me my voice. I was always vocal and had opinions, but my teachers gave me the confidence to express them. I was a co-curricular coordinator and a Rotary Club member, and they trusted me with responsibilities. From Class II, I would read the newspaper in the morning, pick out the important news and recite it during our house assembly. My teachers taught me to use my voice responsibly.
What has field reporting taught you that no newsroom could?
My career has largely been newsroom-based, so I wouldn’t call myself a field reporter. But my early reporting experience during COVID taught me something important: the story is always bigger than what you see on a screen. Behind every number, headline, or breaking news alert is a real person and a real family.
How do you separate speed from haste when news is breaking?
Breaking news demands speed, but speed cannot come at the cost of verification. We look at our sources, seek official confirmation and always remember that there can be two sides to a story. We also have to think about the impact of what we put out. I remember Operation Sindoor vividly. When I reached, everyone was there. Videos, satellite images and information were coming in constantly. There was urgency, but there was also restraint. For me, being first is important, but being right is more important.
Has any story changed the way you see people or power?
The CJP protests definitely changed my perspective. I interacted with police officers and their families. What stayed with me was that these officers were also fathers of Gen Z children. Their children were themselves heartbroken seeing their fathers in such situations. Journalism taught me to look beyond the viral version of a story and understand the people behind it.
What happens behind the camera that viewers rarely understand?
The viewer sees a few minutes of television; the newsroom experiences everything that happens before those minutes. Everyone was working. Videos were being checked, satellite images examined, and sources contacted. The final story may look seamless on television, but behind it are countless calls, sources, checks and decisions about what should responsibly go on air.
A fond school memory…
I was definitely the ‘dance wala bachcha’ in school! I was trained in Bharatanatyam, and my teacher was almost like a second mother to me. One of my favourite memories is travelling for Inter-school competitions. We won first place in the Rajasthan Dance All India Competition. We also got the opportunity to meet Dr Stya Paul, our Founder-Chairman.
