RAJASEKHARAN NAIR Father of Prema Sridevi (Class of 2005)
When Prema joined Commits in July 2003, all we knew was that she wanted to pursue a career in journalism. But it was the journalistic insights she got from Commits through her very respectable professors that she finally became a very successful television journalist.
The documentaries that she made as a Commitscion helped her get an internship with Deccan Herald, The Times of India, and NDTV, and she was recruited by Times Now in 2005 just a few days before she graduated from Commits.
I have no doubt that it’s her practical experience of journalism at Commits and the wonderful guest lecture sessions of Commits that have helped Prema develop her passion for journalism.
We are extremely proud that today Prema is working in a highly competitive and professional environment in journalism in New Delhi. She has completed eight years at Times Now and as the Special Correspondent of the news channel in the nation’s capital, she has been able to produce a lot of good investigative stories.
I wholeheartedly recommend Commits to parents whose children have a passion for journalism. Because I feel what Commits has done for my daughter, it will do for your children, too.
U.K. DAS Father of Nickyta Ray (Class of 2006)
I am very pleased that my daughter, Nickyta, who has received accolades in her journalistic career in the Middle East, built her strong foundation at Commits, the complete practical and professional mass communications institute in Bangalore.
Before we decided that she should join Commits, we had compared it with other journalism institutes in other metros such as New Delhi and Mumbai, but Commits stood out because it gave Nickyta the opportunity to get a degree in mass communication as opposed to the diploma offered by the others.
Here are the reasons we chose Commits for Nickyta, whose goal was to become a good journalist:
Students have an opportunity to specialise in audiovisual journalism.
The study environment and discipline at Commits are of high standard compared with colleges in other cities. Commits nurtures the professional growth of students, and after completion of the course they don’t have to wait for campus placements — most of them get jobs before their final exams.
My daughter considers herself blessed to have been taught by the members of the faculty at Commits. It was great for my daughter to learn journalism from Ramesh Prabhu, who is committed to journalism.
My wife and I are indebted to Commits and we hope that, like our daughter, all Commits students will learn to face difficult situations boldly.
SOPHY JACOB Mother of Sherry M. Jacob-Phillips (Class of 2007)
I still remember how sceptical my husband sounded when he returned home after dropping our daughter in Bangalore for her PG course. Like any other father, he was worried about whether our daughter had chosen the right college and course. In 2005, not many had heard of Commits and the institution didn’t have a campus that most parents would love to boast about.
However, Sherry was confident about her decision even if we weren’t. I am glad to say, though, that our notions changed by the end of her first semester. She came back to Kolkata for the puja holidays as a much more confident individual. My shy girl would get into healthy debates with her brother and would challenge what her college professors had to say. She also held a strong opinion about many social issues.
We have to thank Commits for many reasons. The institution gave Sherry a focus-oriented outsight, friends who are now her family, a mentor in Professor Prabhu, and also for acting as a catalyst to her childhood dream. Thank you, Commits!
KRISHNAN RANGASAMI Father of ARATHI KRISHNAN (Class of 2007)
Hitting two targets with one stone! That’s the best way to describe my daughter Arathi Krishnan’s stint with Commits.
Hardly anyone reading this will know that, as a land developer back in the ’70s and ’80s, I happened to create an entire layout alongside Tavarekere Main Road, numbered the sites from 1 to 23 (Commits was Site No. 1 before the college moved to new premises in HSR Layout in October 2010), and sold most of them in 1981-82 for Rs. 10 per sq. ft., while I retained the three sites (and still own them, along with a three-storey building) situated at the back of this two-acre plot.
Coming down to the subject at hand, my daughter had an opportunity to join the Manipal School of Communication for the PG course there but my wife, Pamela, and I wanted to have our daughter closer to us in Koramangala, where we live. We made many enquiries about Commits and all the reports were very favourable, so Arathi went to study at Commits.
Now, we find she is always more self-confident, self-reliant, sharp, and incisive; and Commits has gone a long way in inculcating in her the proper approach to handling day-to-day corporate duties.
We are all delighted that the family shared a special affinity with the erstwhile Commits premises and we are especially pleased with the quality of education Arathi received at Commits.
Wish you guys all the best! You are doing great work.
M.B. LAMA Father of Nishal Lama (Class of 2008)
When Nishal first told me that he wanted to pursue his master’s in Mass Communication, I had hardly any idea what it was all about. The most I could relate to was that I would see him as a reporter some day on TV. I haven’t seen him on television till now, but I am more than happy to see that my son has come a long way in his career.
I don’t think Nishal was ever as hard-working as he is today. I think a lot of this is because of the curriculum at Commits. I remember he would call me from college sometimes late in the night when we would have already finished our dinner. I would wonder why any college would have a curriculum that forced its students to work so hard. Now I think I have a better understanding.
I am indeed thankful that Commits and everyone involved with the college made sure that the students were not just well-versed with the course syllabus, but were also ready to take up any challenges they would face in the industry.
From reading my son’s articles in the media and seeing his photographs being published in some of the most reputed newspapers and magazines, and even hoardings, I know now that the last few years have been extremely rewarding for him, and for me, too. He is now a full-time photographer and I am so happy that he really enjoys his work.
When Nishal sits down with me sometimes and talks about his ambitions, I begin to wonder: When did he grow up and become so capable that he is planning to set up things all by himself?
DR. K.C. BARUAH Father of Ayushman Baruah (Class of 2008)
My son Ayushman joined Commits in 2006. I remember visiting the institute at the time of his admission and, frankly, I was not impressed with the college infrastructure (when it was situated in Tavarekere). But when I met the dean, Ranita Hirji, I was impressed with what she had to say about the course and about the job prospects of Commits students.
In addition, the curriculum sounded interesting and the faculty seemed good.
As time passed, I started getting regular feedback from my son. I was impressed with the regularity and discipline maintained by the institute. My son always had good words to say about Commits and the teachers. That kept me contented as it is his experience that ultimately matters.
One fine day, he graduated from the institute with a master’s degree and got a job in Bangalore itself. Since then, there has been no looking back for him. He tells me Commits has helped him fine-tune the knowledge he had and has also given him the required exposure. He is currently working as Principal Correspondent with InformationWeek, an internationally reputed IT magazine published by United Business Media (UBM).
He has visited several countries as part of his job and successfully fulfilled his responsibilities everywhere.
I am proud of him and gratefully acknowledge the education imparted by Commits, which has given him the confidence to stand tall in his profession.
AMIT CHAKRABORTY Father of Ankana Sinha (Class of 2009)
Before Ankana started her course at Commits, she was a pampered and stubborn child with a fair amount of disdain for her curriculum. I was actually surprised when she showed an interest in pursuing higher studies.
After she cleared the entrance exam, I visited Commits with her (as any parent would) before the new academic year began.
Today I am so glad that I saw beyond the lack of sprawling, manicured gardens and the glamour of a Google corporate canteen.
In the two years that Ankana studied there, she transformed into a different person altogether. She did well in her semester exams; but, more important, she became a more responsible and mature person. She learnt time-management; she learnt how to manage her money; and she learnt how to not break the trust people have in her.
I am particularly indebted to the faculty for being there for her when her parents were sitting 2,500 km away. Always approachable, not only are they excellent mentors professionally, they even helped her hone her interpersonal skills.
MUKTA HEGDE Mother of Nandini Hegde (Class of 2010)
The time spent by Nandini at Commits was instrumental in helping her evolve into a young woman of substance. During her undergraduate days at Jyoti Nivas College, she was in the process of finding her feet. It was the course she took up at Commits that helped to push her forward along the path to becoming a more confident person.
The presentations and writing assignments were useful in learning to get things done in an organised manner. The feedback and encouragement from the faculty and guest lecturers was helpful to her to keep making progress.
The course is more hands-on than mere theory so it was more interesting for the students. Nandini especially enjoyed the photography and the film appreciation classes. She also liked reviewing movies for the entertainment section of the college newspaper. The various internships helped her and her classmates to get better perspectives about the workplace and the exposure was useful in developing their confidence.
No doubt the course is very labour-intensive and often the students have to work round the clock and stay back in college, which were points of anxiety for us parents. Later we realised that it is this hard work that helps them reach their full potential.
ARINDAM SENGUPTA Father of Ankita Sengupta (Class of 2013)
Letting my daughter study in Commits was one of the toughest decisions that I have ever had to make. The unavailability of good post-graduate colleges in Kolkata forced us to look at options outside the city.
A college with a good reputation was my priority and Symbiosis topped the list but my daughter insisted on applying to Commits. Her argument was that not only did the college offer a master’s degree, it also offered the combination of subjects which she wanted.
Ankita’s decision to join Commits was a decision that I had not really been supportive of initially. However, with time, as my daughter made me familiar with the classes, the assignments, the passion with which the professors teach the students, and the number of career opportunities that the college provides, I was glad that she chose Commits. It has actually been the best educational investment that I have made for my daughter.
DR. UMA ANIL KUMAR Mother of MAITREYA J. A. (Class of 2014)
We believe that Commits is the best thing that happened to Maitreya. When he was in his final year in Jain College, he started looking for places where he could study for a master’s degree. He listed half a dozen colleges. When we discussed what they offered, we found that many of them offered only a one-year post-graduation diploma course, or very specific courses (for instance, a specialisation in television).
But we were looking for a full-fledged two-year master’s course. And we found that Commits offered just that. Commits was also highly recommended by Maitreya’s lecturers at Jain College. So we visited the college, and we liked what we saw.
It is heartening to see now that Maitreya is doing so well. We visited the college for the screening of the music videos and short films that he and his classmates produced with Victor Mukherjee. We were happy to see that all the students were so enthusiastic and had worked so well in their teams, and had done a great job.
I am happy that Maitreya is in good company, and we will recommend Commits to anybody who wants a media-related career and wants to be good at what they do.
P.T. VISWANATHAN Father of VARSHA VISHWANATHAN (Class of 2015)
I chose to send my daughter to Commits for the following five reasons:
1. Commits is recognised in the media industry as one of the top three post-graduate media colleges in India.
2. While most institutes that have similar courses only offer diplomas, Commits provides a master’s degree.
3. All the course directors at Commits are highly experienced; in addition, they are top-notch industry professionals.
4. Commits has a 100% placement record.
5. Commits provides hard-core practical training, which is so much more important than mere “bookish” knowledge.
JAYANTI AND DIPAK KUMAR PAL Parents of MAHASWETA PAL (Class of 2015)
When our daughter Mahasweta was in the final year of her B.A. degree course in Kolkata, she let us know that she wanted to do her post-graduation in mass communication at Commits.
We had never heard of the college because we are not familiar with the media world. So it was only after we studied the Commits brochure that, eventually, we thought this might be a good college for Mahasweta. Then, after the entrance exam in Kolkata on March 30, we, along with other parents, attended the “orientation session” conducted by the dean. We were completely satisfied by the time this session ended and decided for sure to send Mahasweta to Commits.
We travelled to Bangalore along with our daughter and we were present at the inaugural ceremony at Commits on July 3. We were quite impressed with not only the campus facilities but also with the hostel in which our daughter would be staying.
In the past few months what we have gathered from Mahasweta is that the curriculum and the assignments have been very exciting. She has described in great detail the fun everyone had at the college picnic, the challenge of reporting on a flower show, and the interesting discussions on media by eminent personalities in this field. We hope she will complete the course with good grades and find a suitable placement.
Now that we know so much about Commits and its high standards, we will be glad to recommend it to other people whose children want to pursue their studies in media.
NAMITA DAS Mother of Indrani Das (Class of 2015)
Frankly, we were not quite sure about sending our daughter to some faraway place for her master’s. It was actually Indrani’s confidence coupled with the interactions with the Commits faculty at the time of admission that helped us take the decision.
The packed curriculum at Commits along with industry internships to be provided by the institute will certainly be helpful in preparing Indrani for the rigours of working in the real world.
Another point worth mentioning is the efficient system of the institute to keep parents updated about their ward’s performances. (This really makes a difference for parents sitting at home worrying about their child.)
We sincerely hope that the college will be able to provide Indrani first-hand exposure to the world of media and guide her in the quest to launch a successful communications career.
As Commitscions themselves have put it: “Commits is not just another college; Commits is an experience!” Amen to that.
NIVEDITA BISWAS Mother of SUCHISUVRA BISWAS (Class of 2015)
Commits, a well-known media studies institute, does not really need any introduction: it glitters because of its name and its deeds.
Over the years, Commits has gifted brilliant professionals to the media world and I have no doubt that Commits is the college to join if young people want a glorious career in the media industry.
I am very proud that my daughter is a Commits student. It is my firm belief that the institute will leave no stone unturned to ensure my daughter has a bright future.
SHYAMAL DASGUPTA Father of Atreyi Dasgupta (Class of 2015)
I consider it a pleasure to share my thoughts about Commits. My wife and I visited Commits along with Atreyi at the time of admission and we received a very cordial welcome. It was so nice to meet with the faculty members.
Ranita Hirji, the dean, is just like a mother to her students. And Commits teaches students to be professional and successful in their chosen fields, thanks to the faculty, who bring out the creativity in each student.
When I left Bangalore to return to Kolkata, I was not worried at all about leaving my daughter behind because I know she is in good hands.
MANOJ CHOWDHURY Father of KRIPA CHOWDHURY (Class of 2015)
We began giving serious thought to our daughter Kripa’s plans for higher studies when she was in her final year at an undergraduate college in Kolkata.
Since she had chosen Journalism as her major, our initial idea was to get her admitted to a master’s course at a college in Kolkata itself.
However, Kripa was keen to try out institutions outside Kolkata, too, and on March 30, she wrote the Commits entrance exam.
On the same day, during the afternoon, we parents attended an interesting and impressive presentation by Ranita Hirji, the Dean of Studies.
The college’s affiliation with Makhanlal Chaturvedi University and its dedicated PG course in Journalism and Mass Communication made us much more interested in Kripa’s admission to Commits.
Fortunately, Kripa got through the entrance exam, after which I checked out the Commits website thoroughly.
Finally, I paid a visit to Commits and got acquainted with the institution’s rules and regulations. And following a discussion with Ranita Ma’am, Ramesh Prabhu, and others, we went ahead with Kripa’s admission.
I must add here that, when I visited the college, I was highly impressed by the photographs of various dignitaries put up on the walls of the institution.
As her parents, we want nothing but the best for Kripa. We are confident that, through her association with Commits, Kripa will blossom as a media professional.
SEEMA BAID Mother of SHREYA BAID (Class of 2015)
As parents, our goal was to raise and educate Shreya so that she could become a financially independent and more confident girl in today’s competitive world.
When the time came to choose between PG colleges in Hyderabad, Chennai, and Bangalore, it became very difficult to take a decision; in fact, we had many sleepless nights during that period.
However, after lots of research and consultation, Shreya decided to write the Commits entrance exam. And after much deliberation we came to the conclusion that Commits was the best college for our daughter as it not only provides the right curriculum and study environment but also offers a master’s degree.
Today, as I write this, Shreya seems be adjusting well after an initial, intense bout of homesickness.
I now take pride and joy in seeing Shreya make her way so confidently and capably. She is, after all, doing exactly what she is supposed to do.
Meanwhile, even as I keep my cell phone close to me all the time (just in case), inside me I know Commits will make her a confident adult and a good professional so that she can walk in today’s corporate world with her head held high.
BIJOY KUMAR DAS Father of Brinda Das (Class of 2015)
I am glad that my daughter is now a member of the Commits family.
We were initially not very sure about her decision to join the media. However, after getting her admitted officially at Commits on July 3, we were glad that she had made the right choice and so had we.
I am extremely happy now to see how my daughter is finally coming out of her little cocoon and transforming into a mature adult. It gives me immense pleasure to inform you that under your guidance she has started to talk like a passionate media professional.
I am truly grateful to all the faculty members of Commits for bringing about a change in her within this very short span of time. I am confident now that after she completes her course, I will see in my daughter a hardcore professional.