Ramniwas - Session 01

AR-020-12-1

(00:00:00 – 00:06:59) The speaker talks about the first meeting dates as 1986 or 1987 and explains that video work began as village reporting and documentation of activities like village development, health, and education . Content was spread to villagers using slides and still photos via a small, portable projector powered by a 12-volt battery. Commentary, like the story about cleanliness ("Saapad Saapdu"), was provided in a mix of Hindi and Marwari. The speaker, who initially worked in accounts, joined the communication team in 1994. (00:07:00 – 00:13:59) The documentation approach was participatory, focusing on archiving the organization's work, village culture, and social changes. The team mapped blocks, specifically the Shillora block, with approximately 130 villages, to plan field work, including water and famine relief campaigns in 1987. Local youth, often with minimal formal education, were trained to use simple Kodak cameras and darkroom processes. They learned photography skills by producing and developing prints themselves. The speaker and mentors trained youth from affiliated sub-centers in basic photography and video. One trainee, Ramlal, a former shepherd boy, became a "barefoot photographer" and later transitioned to professional wedding photography.(00:00:00 – 00:01:43) The opening focuses on the strong group and family connections around the Tillonia campus, recalling informal inside stories about the friendships and people who supported collaborative projects and skill-sharing.

(00:01:44 – 00:02:34) There is a pause in the conversation.

(00:02:35 – 00:06:21) The group engages in a collective recollection of projects undertaken by the Tillonia campus, including collaborations with CENDIT. They discuss the documentation of sites such as Jantar Mantar and various colony initiatives. The segment concludes with inquiries about the old campus photos and the location and preservation of archived scripts, documents, and other documentary records.

(00:14:00 – 00:20:59) Early screenings in villages were conducted using small, battery-powered TV sets as electricity was unavailable; projectors were not used. Training was internal and provided by visiting colleagues. Crucially, staff learned to perform local technical repairs like soldering and head-cleaning on VCRs and TVs because sending equipment to distant cities like Jaipur or Delhi caused prohibitive delays. The speaker contrasts theatre as a two-way, interactive communication mode that allows immediate audience feedback, with film as a one-way medium useful for repeatable dissemination.

(00:21:00 – 00:27:59) The speaker observes a cultural shift away from communal activities like village fairs and live music where multiple generations participated. Modern media consumption favors visible, easily shareable content on mobile phones/YouTube, reducing the communal viewing experience and connection to the creator. Funding is a major challenge: institutions must write proposals to secure money, and government funding is limited. Furthermore, CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) donors often prescribe the specific cultural projects they will sponsor, limiting local autonomy. Finally, the rapid pace of technological change poses a challenge, as new systems are often opaque, making it difficult for grassroots workers to keep up with changing modules.

(00:28:00 – 00:31:11) The speaker shares a 2023 anecdote about a woman in Punjab who used a washing machine for churning a milkshake, illustrating grassroots ingenuity and the repurposing of available tools. He concludes by stressing the need for an interdisciplinary approach to technology, arguing that solutions require broader cooperation and looking at all connected factors rather than limiting oneself to a single subject.

5 April 2025

Oral histories of technical personnel in Broadcast and Community Video

Ramniwas