This PPT is based on a semester 4 presentation on 'Real Life Raghavs: Exploring the Past, Present and Future of Journalism in India', presented at the department of English, MKBU on 1st April 2024

2. Academic details
Roll no:- 19
Enrollment no:- 4069206420220011
Sem:- 4(M. A.) Batch:- 2022-24
Paper no. :- 207 Paper Code:- 22414
Paper name:- Contemporary Literatures in English
Submitted to:- Smt. S. B. Gardi Department of English, M.K.B.U.
Dated on:- 01/04/2024
Email:- trushalidodiya84@gmail.com

3. Questions to be addressed
● How does Chetan Bhagat's "Revolution Twenty20" relate to contemporary
societal issues, particularly within the context of journalism in India?
● Which journalists or YouTubers resonate with the revolutionary themes
depicted in Raghav's journey in the novel?
● How does the history of journalism intersect with its current landscape?
● What lies ahead for the landscape of independent journalism in India?

4. Points to Ponder
● Introduction
● Functions of Journalism
● What is Revolution and Why does it take place in the novel?
● Raghav: His Revolution and Journalism
● Indian Journalism: Beginning
● Democratic India and Freedom of Media
● Real Life Raghavs in Indian Journalism
● Journalists/YouTubers
● Independent Media Firms
● Future of Independent Journalism in India
● Conclusion
● References

5. Introduction
● Revolution Twenty20 is a novel written by an Indian novelist
Chetan Bhagat (Bhagat)
● Popular Fiction
● Written in 2011
● Central Characters- Gopal, Raghav Aarti
● Central themes- Love, Corruption and Revolution
● Though title is on Revolution, Love and corruption remain the
central themes.
● Raghav is the representative of revolution

6. Functions of Journalism
● One of the four pillars of Democracy- India as a Democratic Country
● According to Rima Rai the media can be said to promote democracy in four key
ways:
○ Fostering Public Debate and Political Engagement
○ Redistributing Power and Political Influence
○ Providing a Mechanism Through Which Democracy Can operate(Rai)
● Media as Interface Between People and Government
● Access to information for a democratic society to ensures that citizens make
responsible, informed choices rather than acting out of ignorance or misinformation
and information also serves a checking function
● "The media also exposes loopholes in the democratic system, which ultimately
helps government in filling the vacuums of loopholes and making a system more
accountable, responsive and citizen-friendly."(Rai)

7. What is the Revolution and Why does
it took place in the Novel?
● Raghav wants to bring revolution
● ‘One wanted to use his intelligence to start a
revolution.’(Bhagat)
● Address issues such as corruption
● Newspaper named ‘Revolution 2020’

8. Raghav: His Revolution and
Journalism
● Wanted to be a journalist- Wants to change the system
of corruption
● Works in Dainik News
● News on GangaTech College
● Got fired from the job at Dainik newspaper
● Began his own newspaper named ‘Revolution 2020’
● Attacked by the people of Shuklaji

9. 'Journalism; she said. "He loves it, That’s what he is meant to do. He wants to change
things. He's also joined university politics.'(Bhagat 122)
He just said the management asked him to leave! 'Recession?' I said in a mock-
concerned voice. 'They cut staff in tough times to save costs'
'How much can you save by firing a trainee reporter? And Dainik is doing well. (Bhagat
194)
'I told you not to write shit about us,' I said.
'I don't need to ask you how to do my job.' (Bhagat 195)
I’ll find a job, Gopal. And tell that MLA of yours - just because he could get a trainee fired
from Dainik doesn't mean he can silence the truth.'(Bhagat 196)
We went at night. Ransacked the office. Bastard. He's finished!(Bhagat 244)

10. Indian Journalism: Beginning
● Media came into existence in India in 1970 with ‘The Bengal
Gazette’ under British Rule
● Ramananda Chatterjee in his article ‘Origin and Growth of
Journalism among Indians’ explains that while facing censorship
and harassment, Indian individuals and communities gradually
established their own newspapers, periodicals and presses in
Indian languages from the early 19th century onwards, laying the
foundations of an independent Indian media and journalism.
(Chatterjee)

11. Democratic India and Freedom of Media
● The Indian Constitution does not employ the term "freedom of the press' '
unlike the Constitution of USA(Gaur)
● Freedom of press or media refers to the rights given by the Constitution of
India under the freedom and expression of speech in Article 19(1)(a). (Legislative
Department)
● Role of Mainstream Media
● According to P. N. Malhan,
"Democratic society needs a clear and truthful account of events, of their
background and their causes ; a forum for discussion and informed
criticism; and a means whereby individuals and groups can express a
point of view or advocate a cause…….. It is not in the interest of the party-
in-power to curb the freedom of the press, for it is a dangerous game and
they themselves may have to pay heavily for it. Without a free press
Democracy in India will be a lame one."(MALHAN)
● Failure of mainstream media(Sharma)

12. Real Life Raghavs in Indian Journalism
● Raghav like Situation of all the journalists who try to raise voice
against wrong and passionately talk about such issues
● They are Fired from their Job
● Life is in Danger
● Began their independent news Channels/YouTube
Channels/other social media Platforms
● Alleged for other false cases for their exposure of several big
firms’ corruption.(Philipose)

13. Journalists/YouTubers
Akash Banerjee
Ravish Kumar Deepak Sharma
Dhruv Rathti
Abhisar
Sharma

14. Ravish Kumar-
● Ravish Kumar, a renowned Indian journalist and author, left an indelible
mark during his tenure as Senior Executive Editor at NDTV India
● Death Treats
● Kumar Resigns After Adani Takeover of NDTV India, Citing Free Press
Concerns
● Runs his own YouTube Channel (Kumar)
● Documentary Film on Ravish Kumar - ‘While we Watched’ (Shukla)
Akash Banerjee
● Journalist Times Now
● Began YouTube Channel named ‘The Deshbhakta’
(Banerjee)

15. Abhisar Sharma -
● Worked in ABP news -fired from the job due to his coverage on BJP
government on PM’s address to businessmen in UP. (Singh)
● Began his own Youtube Channel.(Sharma)
Deepak Sharma
● Investigative Jounalist Faced with censorship in mainstream media,
he shifted to YouTube for freely probing government
narratives.(Sharma)
Dhruv Rathee
● Not a Journalist- Powerful Content creator
● Political videos often involve fact-checking and explanatory
content, addressing various significant events. (Rathee)

16. Independent Media Firms
● Newslaundry- Pay to Keep News
Free(“Newslaundry”)
● Scroll.in- Support Independent
Journalism(SCSN Pvt Ltd)
● The Lallantop(The Lallantop)

17. ● Difference between Journalist and content creator
● Saurabh Sharma notes that "Indian journalists say the
platform is a more democratic and uncensored place to
work, but is the growing trend of YouTubers calling
themselves journalists a cause for concern?"(Saurabh)
● Telecommunication Bill 2023- government can shutdown
telecommunication anytime. Ex. Manipur case
● Broadcasting bill- Raid and cease equipments((Newslaundry)
● Concerns for YouTube Journalism (Poddar)

18. Future of Independent Journalism
in India
● YouTube channels are last avenue for unbiased news ahead of 2024
elections
● YouTube a viable option for journalists in India (Mittal)
● Independent journalists lack financial security, legal protection without
institutions
● Fears of raids, arrests, misuse of copyright claims & IT laws to censor
online speech
● Self-censorship, shoestring budgets, online threats, repressive
environment for truth-telling
● Concerns over suffocation of independent journalism undermining Indian
democracy. (Faleiro et al.)

19. Conclusion
“‘I’ll find a job, Gopal. And tell that MLA of
yours - just because he could get a trainee
fired from Dainik doesn't mean he can
silence the truth.' Said Raghav.”(Bhagat)
“Someone has to do it…”
“We all have to do our bit. For Change we
need a revolution…”

20. References
Banerjee, Akash. “The Deshbhakt.” YouTube, 2007, https://www.youtube.com/@thedeshbhakt. Accessed 1 April 2024.
Bhagat, Chetan. Revolution Twenty20 : Love . Corruption. Ambition. RUPA PUBLICATIONS INDIA PVT Limited, 2014.
Chatterjee, Ramananda. “Origin and Growth of Journalism among Indians.” The Annals of the American Academy of
Political and Social Science, vol. 145, no. 2, 1929, pp. 161-168. JSTOR, https://www.jstor.org/stable/1016897 .
Accessed 31 March 2024.
Faleiro, Sonia, et al. “YouTube is the last bastion of unbiased journalism in India.” Rest of World, 19 December 2023,
https://restofworld.org/2023/india-youtube-journalism/. Accessed 1 April 2024.
Gaur, K. D. “CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS AND FREEDOM OF MEDIA IN INDIA.” Journal of the Indian Law Institute,
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Kumar, Ravish. “Ravish Kumar Official.” YouTube, 2022, https://www.youtube.com/@ravishkumar.official. Accessed 1
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21. Legislative Department. “Constitution of India.” Legislative Department, 1951, https://legislative.gov.in/constitution-of-
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MALHAN, P. N. “LIBERTY OF THE PRESS IN INDIA.” The Indian Journal of Political Science, vol. 14, no. 1, 1953, pp.
39-49. JSTOR, https://www.jstor.org/stable/41853739. Accessed 31 March 2024.
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in-india. Accessed 1 April 2024.
“Newslaundry.” Newslaundry, 2012, https://www.newslaundry.com/. Accessed 1 April 2024.
Newslaundry. “India’s journalists aren’t safe online. Here’s why | Digital Dialogues.” YouTube, 23 December 2023,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pO_H2-lDOcM . Accessed 1 April 2024.
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March 2023, https://thewire.in/media/backstory-independent-media-india-press-freedom . Accessed 1 April 2024.
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22. Rai, Bina. “ROLE OF MEDIA IN INDIAN DEMOCRATIC SYSTEM.” The Indian Journal of Political Science, vol.
76, no. 3, 2015, pp. 437-441. JSTOR, https://www.jstor.org/stable/26534863 .
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1 April 2024.
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Singh, Nikita. “Abhisar Sharma formally quits ABP News.” Newslaundry, 3 September 2018,
https://www.newslaundry.com/2018/09/03/abp-news-abhisar-sharma-resigns. Accessed 1 April 2024.

23. Thank you