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Photo: G. Moorthy

Confident Plain speak

For a nation with a population of more than 100 crore, the number of active blood banks is less than 250. The country’s everyday requirement is 6 lakh units but we are able to mobilise only 4.8 lakh units…” the speaker’s full-throttled voice strengthened with statistical evidence blares out from a function organised to mark the voluntary blood donation day.

He inspires the audience to such effect that many have a change of heart and prepare themselves to donate blood immediately after the meeting. Such is the enigma of television anchor, C. Gopinath, who perhaps needs no introduction.

For the ardent television viewers, he is the popular ‘Neeya Naana’ Gopi. Earlier, he was ‘Makkal Yaar Pakkam’ Gopi and was subsequently identified with ‘Sigaram Thotta Manithargal’. Now it is ‘Neeya Naana’ and ‘Nadanthathu Enna’.

In his early thirties, Gopi’s knowledge on current affairs is exemplary. Fluent in both Tamil and English, he chooses to speak to me in English. Only after I convince him that I can translate his Tamil quotes as well, he comfortably settles down in his mother tongue.

“I was always tipped a good speaker even during my school days, especially at St. James Higher Secondary School in Aranthangi where I did my 11th Standard. My thirst for Tamil language and literature started then and continues,” he chuckles.

Coming from a nondescript town, he has created a sensation hosting talk shows and reality shows in the media. “The experience of being an active member of ‘Ilakkiya Mandram’ (literary club) at National College, Tiruchi, where I did completed under-graduation in Business Administration, helped me a lot. I was able to moderate the talk shows with ease,” he says.

But what brought him to the tinsel town? “After completing my graduation, I came to Chennai hoping to get an MBA seat in a reputed institution. My elder brother, cinematographer C. Prabhakaran, was in Chennai and so food and shelter was never a problem. I changed my mind and decided to join as a journalist with Raj TV. It helped in building up my confidence as I discovered during my later reporting assignments with Jaya TV, NDTV and CNBC-TV-18. But, only after coming to Vijay TV, where I anchored ‘Makkal Yaar Pakkam’, a political analysis programme, I was able to get closer to the people. The programme recorded high TRP rating,” he shares.

Gopi fondly remembers his participation at an international visitors’ conference of journalists in United States. “I was the only Indian journalist among representatives from 25 countries. It happened to be a touchstone for me. Many people abroad think we Indians are too emotional. But at the end of the day, I was able to assert why we value bondage more than any other thing. When I left the place, I had more friends than I expected,” he recalls. He has also done film reviews and a reality show ‘Azhagi’ but he relishes anchoring ‘Sigaram Thotta Manithargal’. “It’s a programme on who’s who of the country. It gave me the opportunity to meet some high profile people,” he recollects his meeting with social activist Chinna Pillai.

But it was ‘Neeya Naana’ that took him to great heights, winning him accolades. “I have to thank director Antony and the research team for the success. I just act as a catalyst in the clash of two extreme ideas. Personally, I gain lot of knowledge listening to them. The team burns the midnight oil to churn out topics and assemble people, who can speak on the chosen title. My job is to make the programme interesting to watch. It has provided me the platform to pass on all the information that I have collected over the years to people.”

Having succeeded as a television anchor, he is now simultaneously focussing on helping students to improve their communication skills.

“I have started ‘Taalk Shop Academy of Communication’ and am in touch with educational institutions to enter into a memorandum of understanding. We develop syllabus and also provide all technical support including guest speakers to address the students to equip them better,” he says.

Gopi has also published two books titled ‘Theruvellam Thevathaigal’, a collection of poems and ‘Please Indha Puthakatha Vaangatheenga’, a book on personality development.

ACCOLADES

American Government invitation to participate in International Visitors’ Programme (2004)

Young Achiever award by India Today magazine (2007)

Best Anchor of the State by Anantha Vikatan (2007,2008)

Invited for the International Health Conference, Sydney (2007)

Outstanding Young Indian by JCI (2008)

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