EDUCATION

Columbia University — Graduate School of Journalism New York City
Master of Science (MS) in Journalism | 2024

  • Awarded Honors-in-Class for writing and master’s project

  • Reporting, Magazine Journalism, Narrative Writing, Feature Writing and Photography, with a specialization in covering literature, arts, travel, and culture

  • Worked on a long-form Master’s Project on New York City’s lost neighborhood of Little Syria

  • Published ‘He Asked For Her?’, a non-fiction short story in No One Ever Asked: An Anthology of Answers, Kindle Direct Publishing, 2024

  • Published ‘A Turmoil of Tongues,’ a reported 5000-word piece on language wars in Karnataka, India, in n+2, 2024

University of Mysore Mysore
Master of Arts (MA) in English Literature | 2022

  • Graduated top of class

  • Studied seminal works from all periods of English Literature

  • Electives included travel literature, Indian poetry in English, and myth and folklore

St. Joseph’s First Grade College, University of Mysore Mysore
Bachelor of Arts (BA) in English Literature, Journalism, Functional English| 2020

  • Awarded for academic excellence for graduating top of class

  • Editor of the student newsletter. Also contributed three feature articles on city culture

  • Organized six state-level events, and won multiple essay and report writing competitions

WORK EXPERIENCE

PEN America
Communications Assistant | July 2024—present

A Hotel Life
Writer & Editorial Assistant | May 2021—June 2023

Silverfish Books
Curator | August 2021—August 2023

APO Group
Editor | Dec 2020—Jan 2021

Varthaman Newsletter
Student Editor | Jan 2019—March 2020

Campus Connect, Vijaya Karnataka
Student Reporter | Nov 2019—Jan 2020

Kalisu Foundation (NGO)
Teacher Intern | June 2015—Feb 2016

Hejje Magazine, Kautilya Vidyalaya
Student Editor | Aug 2014—Feb 2015

BYLINES

For all bylines, click here.

PEN America

Interviews:

Articles:

Columbia University:

A Turmoil of Tongues, n+2, May 2024

He Asked For Her?, No One Ever Asked: An Anthology of Answers, May 2024

Columbia News Service:

A Hotel Life:

Hotel Reviews:

Culture Stories:

Guides:


Other Publications:

  • Container of Culture, Purveyor of Craft: In Conversation with Karishma Swali, Svasa Life, The Indian Dream (exclusively in print), September 2024

APPEARANCES

  • Was a panellist and presented poetry on the ‘Emotions in Verse and Passion in Rhyme: Young Poets of Mysuru,’ at the Mysuru Literature Festival in July 2023

  • Performed poetry at Queerfest at Roy’s Café, Mysuru in June 2023

  • Conducted an online workshop with Catalyst.cm on 'How to Travel in India,' in February 2023

  • Performed poetry at Pride Open Mic at Roy’s Café, Mysuru in June 2022

  • Performed poetry at an open mic for a cause on Clubhouse in July 2021

ACHIEVEMENTS

  • Honors-in-Class in Master’s Project under the guidance of Prof. Keith Gessen, 2024, Columbia University

  • Honors-in-Class in Written Word module titled Write What Should Not Be Forgotten, taught by Prof. Alexis Clark, 2024, Columbia University

  • Prof. Mani C Mathew Endowment Award for the year 2019-20 for exceptional academic achievement from the Department of Humanities St. Joseph’s First Grade College, Mysuru, 2021

  • Several prizes in inter-collegiate and intra-collegiate Essay Writing Competitions, 2017-20

  • Won I place in three Report Writing Competitions conducted by Christ College, Mysuru, 2017-20

  • Won II place in Creative Writing (English) held by All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, Manasagangotri, Mysuru, 2017

  • Won I place in several English and General Knowledge quiz competitions, 2017-20

  • Special Delegate Award at MICA Model United Nations, 2017

  • Essay on Pingali Venkayya awarded as one of the Top 68 Best Essays in the country by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) in 2015

WORKSHOPS

  • Three-Day State Level Workshop on 'Screenplay Writing' organised as a part of Dasara Film Festival by the Government of Karnataka, 2019

  • State Level Symposium on 'Digital Society and Politics,' Christ College, Mysuru, 2019

  • State Level Workshop on 'Effective Communication Skills,' St. Joseph's First Grade College, Mysuru, 2017

  • State Level Workshop on Creative Writing, Teresian College, Mysuru, India, 2017

OTHER

  • Judged ‘Once Upon A Time,’ a short story writing competition held by BMS College of Engineering, Bengaluru, in May 2023

  • Conducted a mentorship program on writing for four engineering students of BMS College of Engineering, Bengaluru, in 2022-2023

  • Judged 'Bytes of History,' an essay writing competition as a part of 'Phase Shift 2022' by BMS College of Engineering, Bengaluru, in November 2022

  • Collaborated with ms.alwar on a poetry and art project in September 2022

  • Researched for dissertation in Functional English on the topic 'Conventional Television v/s Online Streaming Services: A Study of Preference Among Youth in Mysuru,' 2020

  • Volunteered at the 34th State Journalist's Conference held at Suttur, India, in 2019

  • Volunteered at Mysore Literary Fest-2018 held at Senate Bhavan, Mysuru, India

  • Judged a poetry competition for High School Students as a part of ‘Imperium 18’ held at Sapient College of Commerce and Management, 2018

  • Part of the organising committee for six state-level college events, handling administration, PR and communications and as an Emcee, at St. Joseph's First Grade College, Mysuru, India

  • Part of the organising committee of Model United Nations at MICA Mahesh Pre University College, Mysuru 2017