Rakesh Kumar - Session 01

AR-020-22-1

(00:00:00 – 00:03:00) Opening of the interview with formal consent and institutional framing. Rakesh Kumar introduces himself, mentioning his Delhi background (Lajpat Nagar) and begins outlining his early educational path and initial exposure to technical work.

(00:03:01 – 00:06:30) Educational training in electrical engineering. He discusses completing a diploma, working on projects involving transistors and basic electronics, and developing practical interest through hands-on experimentation rather than theory alone.

(00:06:31 – 00:09:30) Post-diploma specialization and early maintenance work. Rakesh Kumar describes studying electronics and microwave technology and spending several years in maintenance roles, where routine faults and repairs shaped his technical understanding.

(00:09:31 – 00:13:00) Early professional assignments. He recalls working with Bentex and later being involved in the installation of Appu Ghar in Delhi, describing it as a new entertainment-oriented project combining electrical and electronic systems with limited prior models to follow.

(00:13:01 – 00:17:00) Working conditions and learning on site. The interviewee explains how large public installations required teamwork, improvisation, and problem-solving in the absence of manuals or formal technology transfer.

(00:17:01 – 00:21:00) Shift toward broadcast-related experience. Rakesh Kumar emphasizes the importance of observation in understanding equipment behavior and diagnosing problems that are not immediately visible through standard checks.

(00:21:01 – 00:25:00) Discussion of image quality and colour judgment. He explains how satellite transmission affects colour reproduction and how technicians adjust colour balance, often preferring richer or warmer tones to compensate for signal loss.

(00:25:01 – 00:29:00) Subjectivity in technical decision-making. The interviewee reflects on how image aesthetics depend on personal judgement, transmission medium, and viewing context rather than fixed technical standards.

(00:29:01 – 00:33:00) Technological change over time. He discusses equipment miniaturization and improvements in quality, recalling early skepticism about digital photography and how such technologies later became standard.

(00:33:01 – 00:37:00) User experience and feedback. Rakesh Kumar explains that while technicians’ feedback is not always formally acknowledged, recurring complaints and field experience influence how equipment evolves.

(00:37:01 – 00:41:00) Market competition and formats. He reflects on competition between manufacturers such as Sony, JVC, and Panasonic, using examples like Betamax versus VHS to explain how technologies succeed or disappear.

(00:41:01 – 00:45:00) Relationship between servicing and R&D. The interviewee distinguishes between commercial servicing environments and research departments, stressing the need for communication between field technicians and designers.

(00:45:01 – 00:48:00) Examples of manufacturer response. He describes instances where feedback led to documented modifications, with companies informing users about changes made after research and field observation.

(00:48:01 – 00:50:08) Final technical reflections. Rakesh Kumar returns to discussion of colour tuning and visual judgment in broadcast work, emphasizing experience-based decision-making.

(00:50:09 – 00:51:06) Conclusion of the interview. Closing remarks, expressions of thanks, and confirmation that the recording will be used for archival and research purposes.

14 October 2025

Oral histories of technical personnel in Broadcast and Community Video

Rakesh Kumar