Interview with Blogger Aditya Swarup

By The Pakistani Spectator • Jun 18th, 2008 • Category: Interviews • (3,292 views) • No Responses

My name is Aditya Swarup and I’m studying law at NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad, India. As a twenty one year old I enjoy reading books and traveling places. I love making friends, meeting people and understanding different cultures. I love reading, traveling and meeting people.

I did my schooling at the Prince of Wales Royal Indian Military College (now Rashtriya Indian Military College) in Dehradun, India and then went on to pursue law from one of the premier law universities in the Country. I have been a keen human rights enthusiast and love to keep myself abreast of political situations around the world.

I blog at ‘The Social Blog’ –www.thesocialblog.wordpress.com

And am also a contributor to Blogbharti – www.blogbharti.com

Would you please tell us something about you and your site?

- The Blog site it titled ‘The Social Blog’ and the idea is to post musings related to the law and society. I also perceive it to be a human rights blog. While studying at law school and interning with NGOs I noticed that there is a stark contrast in the law that we study and the ground realities in which it is applicable. The aim of the blog is to look at these contrasts and present law and society interactions if any.

The blog believes in an informed choice and the dictat of free speech. Arun and I believe that comment on certain controversial issues is sacred and do not hesitate in airing our viewing on any subject. Recently Criminal Justice Degrees put the site amongst the Top 100 civil liberties Blogs in the world.

Do you feel that you continue to grow in your writing the longer you write? Why is that important to you?
Yes. I have started associating myself with most of the issues I write about. For instance, I wrote about the naxalites in Chattisgarh state in India and have recently gone to witness the situation which I must confess is quite disturbing. Similarly I’ve been to Gujarat after the riots and like places.

More so, writing on such issues has helped a lot in the development of my over-all character as a human being.

I’m wondering what some of your memorable experiences are with blogging?

I had once written a post about democracy and the importance of rights. The reviews that I got from my colleagues from the post were quite touching. Needless to say, I am a solemn believer in democracy and feel that people should have the right to decide whom to be governed by.

What do you do in order to keep up your communication with other bloggers?

I regularly surf the net and read other blogs via internet readers like Google Reader and Bloglines.

What do you think is the most exciting or most innovative use of technology in politics right now?
I think the fact that the internet is being used to air views on political issues make the whole idea of politics interesting. For instance, its nice to read about the Hillary- Obama presidential race and what bloggers around the world think about it.

RSS technology has helped a lot in this area too. I am impressed by the way in which new tools are being invented on a daily basis to stay in touch with others around us.

Do you think that these new technologies are effective in making people more responsive?
Surely I’d answer that in the affirmative. These technologies help a lot in making people aware of the issues and events taking place around them. Most people today rely on the net for their daily news source and the situation would only get better.

What do you think sets Your site apart from others?

Actually nothing. I blog because I like to do so and if there’s any difference it would just be on the issues that I pick up and write about.

If you could choose one characteristic you have that brought you success in life, what would it be?
If there has been any success then it would be attributed to the fact that I have always tried to keep my cool and don’t let emotions boggle me down. I trust my judgment and am not afraid to take risks in life.

Do you think [the use of Twitter and other social networking tools by politicians] is bandwagon jumping or what?

Each politician has a right to air his views and he or she may do so in any manner that they please. The only rider is that it should be with some integrity and character. I have seen some politicians maing use of facebook groups to put forth their ideas on government policies which is a welcome read and a change from what we see them saying on TV.

If you could pick a travel destination, anywhere in the world, with no worries about how it’s
paid for - what would your top 3 choices be?

Casablanca – Morocco

Lahore- Pakistan (I’ve heard a lot about the cuisine and generosity of the people there)

Austria – I’d love to see the birthplace of Mozart

What is your favorite book and why?

Has to be Albert Camus’s ‘Resistance, Rebellion and Death’. It’s a collection of essays on various political issues. I’d recommend the ones on liberty and the death penalty to anyone.

What’s the first thing you notice about a person (whether you know them or not)?
They way he or she carries himself. It tells a lot about the nature of the person and his or her attitude.

Is there anyone from your past that once told you you couldn’t write?
Actually no one. Till a little while ago, nobody told me I could write either.

How bloggers can benefit from blogs financially?

I think advertisements are the main source of revenue. Charity is very rare I must say. But at the same time, I don’t think a monetary motive should drive an individual blogger to write on legal- political issues; it should be his or her passion towards the issue.

Is it true that who has a successful blog has an awful lot of time on their hands?
I have no first hand experience on the question. Under no circumstances would I consider my blog successful. But my what I’ve heard, successful blogging requires a lot of patience and time.

What are your thoughts on corporate blogs and what do you think the biggest advantages and disadvantages are?
Corporate blogs act as informal discussion groups on company issues and policies which is good in a certain way. I strongly feel that blogs are casual web spaces where people air their views and a corporate character to it makes them highly professional which I feel is a disadvantage.

What role can bloggers of the world play to make this world more friendlier and less hostile?
One needs to keep writing and reading others blogs. The more they do that, the better the effort to make this world friendlier. Most of my blogfriends are from various countries around the world and I enjoy reading their blogs.

Who are your top five favourite bloggers?
Only four actually;

- www.blogbharti.com

www.sepiamutiny.com

- www.kashmir.wordpress.com

- www.adashofash.com

- www.lawandotherthings.blogspot.com

Is there one observation or column or post that has gotten the most powerful reaction from people?

My posts on the rise of poverty in India have gotten very powerful reactions from my readers. Off-late my sojourns in the jungles of central India where I had gone to document the killings in the war between the government and the Maoists that have been put up on the blog (Dantewada Diaries) is getting a lot of reactions from friends and acquaintances.

What is your perception about Pakistan and its people?
I think Pakistan is an amazing country and in terms of its people I see no difference between them and us Indians. What appalls me the most is the fact that one partition has destroyed our common brotherhood and is the cause for major wars between the countries.

Have you ever become stunned by the uniqueness of any blogger?
Im actually waiting for that to happen.

What is the most striking difference between a developed country and a developing country?
The way in which poverty represents itself in the society and the role played by the government in curbing it.

What is the future of blogging?

I must say that the future is very bright and in time I would be seeing more people blogging and put forth their views on various issues. In turn, it would help to bridge distances and make friends across geographical boundaries.

You have also got a blogging life, how has it directly affected both your personal and professional life?
Under no circumstances have I seen to it that one of these lifestyles is affected by the other. I know it’s a difficult task but till now I have been able to manage it.

What are your future plans?

Finish my law course, litigate and keep blogging.

Any Message you want to give to the readers of The Pakistani Spectator?

I have read the Pakistani Spectator quite a few times and didn’t hesitate much when Ghazala asked me for the interview I didn’t hesitate one bit. I appreciate the boldness in journalism that is represented in the site and congratulate the people involved for this.