The Evening Standard Progress 1000 list

Posted on September 8, 2016 by Vikas Pota

This post is a mirror entry from my work site:

“We are delighted to announce that the London Evening Standard newspaper have listed Colin Hegarty, top 10 finalist of the Global Teacher Prize 2016, and our Chief Executive, Vikas Pota in the Progress 1000 list of most influential people in London. The list includes figures who have shaped our lives across so many different fields – ranging from HRH The Prince of Wales and Mayor Sadiq Khan, who came top of the list, to Mo Farah and Adele.

At the tenth anniversary of the awards, held at the Science Museum, Sarah Sands, Editor of the Evening Standard said: “We chose the word ‘progress’ carefully. That is what London’s influential people and businesses are achieving. And of course it is right we should celebrate progress at the Science Museum, for we are addressing the wonder of possibilities.”

Vikas Pota said:

“I am honoured to have been chosen for the Progress 1000 list of London’s most influential people. It includes so many amazing talents who have contributed so much to this great city that continues to lead the world, and am humbled to have been included among them.

“This recognition is valuable to our mission at the Varkey Foundation, where from our base in the capital we work to give every teacher around the world the status they deserve and every child, wherever they are, the chance of a good education.

“My family moved to London from East Africa and it has provided many opportunities to immigrants like us, which we, in the age of Brexit, would be well placed to remember when considering what the new arrangements will be. London is an incredible city, and I am thankful for the words of encouragement and celebration that my family and I have received.”

You can see the full list here

Trends – 2010 onwards – quite spectacular

Posted on July 6, 2012 by Vikas Pota

If you’re interested in trends, then take a look at the attached – quite spectacular…

Richard Watson, who’s a futurologist created this, and he claims that those on the outer fray of this tube style map is already taking place.

Incredible stuff. Enjoy.

Trends Map

Invest in capacity building in Pakistan, Mr Cameron.

Posted on April 5, 2011 by Vikas Pota

Interestingly, David Cameron’s visiting Pakistan to re-set relations with them. There was a time when political leaders would say one thing to India and an altogether different story to the Pakistani establishment, which, thankfully, has become increasingly difficult to do as a result of the birth of organisations like Wikileaks, and with the growth in citizen journalism.

If Cameron wants to start afresh with Pakistan, he may be advised that in addition to talking about security, terrorism, aid, and trade, he ought to offer our help in capacity building initiatives that strengthen their civic institutions – much like a certain other former British Prime Minister is doing in Palestine.

Most Pakistani people, at least the ones I know, are no different to you & me, who I suspect constitute the majority. We should invest wisely in giving them a voice. By doing so, you stand to expose the duplicity of the leadership provided by various quarters in a country that is incredibly important and central to our safety & prosperity back in the UK.

Twitter journalism in India

Posted on January 10, 2011 by Vikas Pota

Turn on your TV, open a broadsheet newspaper, tune in to a radio station, and you’ll inevitably find journalists passing stories off as originals when in fact they’re not. Much of India’s journalism, in my view, doesn’t stack up. it just isn’t good enough. Maybe its because of the massive explosion in the Indian media sector – where every journalist and organisation has to work even harder for stories that they in fact start passing off trivial stuff as being news-worthy.

All you have to look at is the huge dependence of Indian journos on Twitter. Over the past week since I’ve been on vacation in India, all the newspapers have written stories for their main sections based on 140 characters tweeted by x or y Indian celeb! I’m not saying that India is the only place it happens, as I also read stories in the UK that are sourced from Twitter, but I see a much larger number of these tweets written up as bigger articles in India.

Editors ought to realize that they risk strangling the goose that laid the golden egg if they don’t improve the standards of journalism. Twitter, and social media tools are valuable sources of information, but ultimately a call needs to be made as to whether a story on x celeb stating they’re no longer entertaining their followers on Twitter, or they’re endorsing a new skin whitening cream really needs to take up 300 words in the main section of a “quality” newspaper.

I’m a big fan of the Indian media sector. They’ve entertained, explained, exposed, and generally done a fab job over the years, but my recently concluded visit has stirred me enough to write this blog-post.

There’s nothing wrong with gossip and tittle-tattle, I enjoy it as much as the next person, but they do a great disservice by passing of such trivia as genuine news.