An Interview With VIJAY JOSHI - a PASSIONATE WRITER AND TOP RATED BLOGGER
Artily Blog Post Team
Visit: vijaynjoshi.wordpress.com
Visit: vijaynjoshi.wordpress.com
Tell us something about yourself.
I am Vijay Joshi. I stay at Dombivli near Mumbai. I’ve been blogging since 2009. I work in a Central Government Department in IT Division. I am connected with many NGOs and spare my time working for social cause. I am actively engaged in Self Help Group movement for Women Empowerment since 2006. I believe in building bridges than constructing walls.
Which was your unforgettable day in life? And why?
Its personal, but worth sharing. My kid was just two and a half year old and had just started talking. He fell terribly ill and was bed ridden in hospital for about 10 days. I had injured my left index finger just before my kid fell ill. On that day after about 10 days in semi conscious state my kid woke up, his fever had receded and he had regained his consciousness. As I took him on my lap, the first word that my child mumbled was to ask how my finger was… It was heart wrenching, here was a child who was in fever for more than a week, he could have asked for just anything. But, he did not forget the injury his dad had sustained some weeks ago.
Love is the essence of life, we all live to love and be loved. One cares only when one loves. The kind of care my child showed made that day even today the most unforgettable day in my life.
What is your blog/ website about? Blog URL?
My blog is not dedicated to any topic or subject specific as such. Its just an extension of good old diaries that we used to scribble in our olden days, just a digital format of it, one can say. Incidents, that really affects me, any frivolous incident that has left a mark on me finds entry in my blog. All the incidents are true life stories, the characters are true, sometimes, the names of the characters are changed for privacy purpose. All the stories are of common people and the common man is the hero in my blog article, for, I firmly believe that a common man has much more to share than others. The daily struggle, the compromises they make, the fight to achieve something are more often ignored, but, each person has a story to tell, I believe.
What inspired you to write a blog?
Writing has been my passion since my school days, I excelled in essay writing competitions in schools. Blogging just happened, as said above, it was just a transition from diaries to a new age technology of blogging.
Would you like to share credits with your friends/ family for their support and appreciation ?
A Government Employee and Blogging. Sounds strange. True. Even today only a couple of my colleagues know about this passion of mine. My superior Mrs.Juthika Bhattacharya Madam , Ex Deputy Director, was thrilled to note that I write and she motivated me to keep on writing. My Ex-Director, Shri P.K.Mukherjee too was happy to find my blog. Shri Kamal Kothariji of Pune makes it a point to read articles in my blog and comment on them. He motivates me to write. Among my foreign followers, Mr.Jeff Songs of USA has been very active in supporting and encouraging me.
What are your plans in future regarding blog and audience?
I write it as a passion. Which is why my blog is not in organized shape. Sometimes, I fail to update it for quite a longer period, as well. The growing readership, site traffic etc is just incidental. I write because of the urge to write. Until the urge is not dominant, I do not write.
What do you find most challenging about blogging about your topic?
Controlling the flow of thoughts. My style of writing is direct in nature, I do not like to juggle with words to show command over language. When I sit to write, I do not plan the article. It just oozes out. Which may be the reason that once in a while you may find silly grammatical errors.
You call yourself ‘Jack of all Trades.’ Can you tell our readers what exactly made you say that?
For a living I work in Information Technology Department in a Central Government Department in Mumbai. Suprisingly, an IT guy in a government department has to do all kind of stupid job. He has to prepare a ppt file one day, juggle with coding the next, troubleshoot some computer issues one day, type out a letter one day for his boss, design a book cover the next day. Working in such an environment I found the habit seeping in my persona as well. You may find me blogging a day, designing website for some friends another day, delivering a lecture in some gathering the very next day, handling society management in our building, doing some diy stuff with my kid the next. Helping my friends in their lives the other day.
Your participation in Times of India’s #writeindia contest was vital. Our readers would love to hear a summary from you about your most rated article “Asha.”
Times of India had started a contest #writeindia. I participated in a couple of weeks. I felt they could have been more transparent in more than one aspect, due to which I stopped participating in future episodes of theirs. The story was on paragraph given by Chetan Bhagat. The story was about a mother who did not wanted her child to pass through the agony that she had mother passed. The article is available at https://vijaynjoshi.wordpress.com/2015/08/11/asha/
On 11th July 2013, you posted a tale of Pandora’s box on your blog. If you were having the box then, as a citizen, blogger, and a human, what would you like to carry in the box throughout your life?
Call me a Socialist fool. During my college life I found socialistic way of life better than the capitalistic way. I am lucky to have faced the two sides of the fence. Working in a government department gave me the aspect of how the government views the things and involvement with social causes exposed the real picture. I find that there is a very very wide divide in our society, leave aside the divide in terms of gender, caste, creed, religion. The more serious divide that is growing is on economic lines. The divide between ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’. When my kid grows up using all the modern gadgets, hundreds of kids of his age too are growing up deprived of even basic necessities in lives. In this digitally connected world, the “have nots” too have dreams and aspirations, but lack resources. Won’t a time come in our society where there will be a rift between these two sections and I worry to wonder the anarchy that may prevail then. Today’s newspaper has one such heart rending story, a mother killed her child because she could not find means to feed the child and did not wanted to see the child die like this.
If only, I had a pandora’s box, I would have ensured that this evil does not crops it head again.
Tell about some of the people you have met while working on your blog?
I met some wonderful people while blogging, people who would add me on their friend’s list, send me mail, follow me on twitter. I met Shubhangi, a girl with big dreams for the society on my blog. Meena my best friend is never appreciative of my articles and keeps on saying “not bad”. I met and made friends with many such people like Sheetal, Amit, Vinaya Harish, my colleague Priya and many such wonderful souls.
How would (someone) describe your blogging style?
It’s simple, without much ornamental decoration or jugglery of words.
What do you do when you aren't working on your blog?
I design websites, read ebooks, youtube a lott, play simulation games, watch documentaries, work for self employment and women empowerment activities.
If you could plan the perfect holiday, what would it be?
Undoubtedly, It would be Ladakh. Been there twice, the desire to go there increases the more I go.
How many books do you read in a month - roughly?
I read ebooks and read many. The topics I like are history, politics, spiritual and mystic topics like life after death etc.
Favorite color?
Sky Blue
What is your most favorite electronic gadget?
i-Pad
Favorite book character or film character crush. Yes you can pick 2 :)
Have been old comics buff during childhood days, Many characters like Phantom, the Ghost who walks, Chacha Choudhari, Mandrake the Magician, Spiderman were my super heroes. Unfortunately the current generation do not have the luxury to enjoy these characters for they are more busy in their gadgets.
A character you love to hate in what book/TV show or movie?
None
Coffee or tea?
Tea.
Favorite food?
A Pakka Mumbaikar at heart. Ubiquitous Vada Pav of Amchi Mumbai.
Vanilla or chocolate ice cream?
Vanilla
What is a movie or TV show that you watched recently and really enjoyed?
Don’t watch much movies.
What really scares you?
Nothing as such.
What networking do you do that you feel helps your blog?
Nothing. I have a fb page and twitter that is synced with my blog.
How do you keep coming up with material/content for your blog? Many people struggle with coming up with different articles/posts.
A common man is my main protagonist. And we are a billion strong nation.
Do you think Page rank plays a vital role in a blog’s life? Why?
No, artificial measures like SEO, mopped up traffic remains just that. Artificial. If the content is good, people come to your blog.
What would you prioritize? Content? SEO? Traffic? Readers?
Quality Content
What’s the best thing a blogger can give to his readers?
A lingering thought after reading an article. A thought that is not sad, but inspiring.
What has been your strategy for creating visibility to yourself and your blog?
Have my Facebook Page and Twitter account, have synced all the three. Entry made in the blog gets posted on FB and Twitter immediately. No other efforts taken consciously to increase visibility.
What was the most challenging moment in your blog content development process and why?
There was one article, that I wanted to write. It was an emotional and sensitive subject. I knew if I had written on it, I would have reached many. But, the person on whom I would have written may not have necessarily appreciated. So I dropped the idea.
Everyone has a favorite/least favorite post. Name yours and why?
Asha Amar Aste… Hope is Eternal…
(https://vijaynjoshi.wordpress.com/2011/04/24/asha-amar-aste-hope-is-eternal/)
I like this article more than any other, for I have seen the entire story winding before me.
If you find Aladdin's lamp, what three wishes you would ask a Genie?
A breeze of Happiness in lives of all.
Peace
A good home for poor genie. Poor fella Aladdin has been in lamp for centuries now.
Name some of the bloggers whom you look up to and why?
Read and follow Kamal Kothariji’s blog as he is shares spiritual topics
If someone was interested in blogging, what would be a few things you would suggest?Be true to your feelings, don’t dramatize, don’t write to impress or hurt someone. There was a friend of mine who went to blog just to vent out ire on someone. No wonder the blog had only one entry.
If you were asked to send one message to your blog readers, what it would be?Keep reading, keep suggesting and do share good stories, together let’s spread happiness in this stressed out world.
Visit: vijaynjoshi.wordpress.com
I am Vijay Joshi. I stay at Dombivli near Mumbai. I’ve been blogging since 2009. I work in a Central Government Department in IT Division. I am connected with many NGOs and spare my time working for social cause. I am actively engaged in Self Help Group movement for Women Empowerment since 2006. I believe in building bridges than constructing walls.
Which was your unforgettable day in life? And why?
Its personal, but worth sharing. My kid was just two and a half year old and had just started talking. He fell terribly ill and was bed ridden in hospital for about 10 days. I had injured my left index finger just before my kid fell ill. On that day after about 10 days in semi conscious state my kid woke up, his fever had receded and he had regained his consciousness. As I took him on my lap, the first word that my child mumbled was to ask how my finger was… It was heart wrenching, here was a child who was in fever for more than a week, he could have asked for just anything. But, he did not forget the injury his dad had sustained some weeks ago.
Love is the essence of life, we all live to love and be loved. One cares only when one loves. The kind of care my child showed made that day even today the most unforgettable day in my life.
What is your blog/ website about? Blog URL?
My blog is not dedicated to any topic or subject specific as such. Its just an extension of good old diaries that we used to scribble in our olden days, just a digital format of it, one can say. Incidents, that really affects me, any frivolous incident that has left a mark on me finds entry in my blog. All the incidents are true life stories, the characters are true, sometimes, the names of the characters are changed for privacy purpose. All the stories are of common people and the common man is the hero in my blog article, for, I firmly believe that a common man has much more to share than others. The daily struggle, the compromises they make, the fight to achieve something are more often ignored, but, each person has a story to tell, I believe.
What inspired you to write a blog?
Writing has been my passion since my school days, I excelled in essay writing competitions in schools. Blogging just happened, as said above, it was just a transition from diaries to a new age technology of blogging.
Would you like to share credits with your friends/ family for their support and appreciation ?
A Government Employee and Blogging. Sounds strange. True. Even today only a couple of my colleagues know about this passion of mine. My superior Mrs.Juthika Bhattacharya Madam , Ex Deputy Director, was thrilled to note that I write and she motivated me to keep on writing. My Ex-Director, Shri P.K.Mukherjee too was happy to find my blog. Shri Kamal Kothariji of Pune makes it a point to read articles in my blog and comment on them. He motivates me to write. Among my foreign followers, Mr.Jeff Songs of USA has been very active in supporting and encouraging me.
What are your plans in future regarding blog and audience?
I write it as a passion. Which is why my blog is not in organized shape. Sometimes, I fail to update it for quite a longer period, as well. The growing readership, site traffic etc is just incidental. I write because of the urge to write. Until the urge is not dominant, I do not write.
What do you find most challenging about blogging about your topic?
Controlling the flow of thoughts. My style of writing is direct in nature, I do not like to juggle with words to show command over language. When I sit to write, I do not plan the article. It just oozes out. Which may be the reason that once in a while you may find silly grammatical errors.
You call yourself ‘Jack of all Trades.’ Can you tell our readers what exactly made you say that?
For a living I work in Information Technology Department in a Central Government Department in Mumbai. Suprisingly, an IT guy in a government department has to do all kind of stupid job. He has to prepare a ppt file one day, juggle with coding the next, troubleshoot some computer issues one day, type out a letter one day for his boss, design a book cover the next day. Working in such an environment I found the habit seeping in my persona as well. You may find me blogging a day, designing website for some friends another day, delivering a lecture in some gathering the very next day, handling society management in our building, doing some diy stuff with my kid the next. Helping my friends in their lives the other day.
Your participation in Times of India’s #writeindia contest was vital. Our readers would love to hear a summary from you about your most rated article “Asha.”
Times of India had started a contest #writeindia. I participated in a couple of weeks. I felt they could have been more transparent in more than one aspect, due to which I stopped participating in future episodes of theirs. The story was on paragraph given by Chetan Bhagat. The story was about a mother who did not wanted her child to pass through the agony that she had mother passed. The article is available at https://vijaynjoshi.wordpress.com/2015/08/11/asha/
On 11th July 2013, you posted a tale of Pandora’s box on your blog. If you were having the box then, as a citizen, blogger, and a human, what would you like to carry in the box throughout your life?
Call me a Socialist fool. During my college life I found socialistic way of life better than the capitalistic way. I am lucky to have faced the two sides of the fence. Working in a government department gave me the aspect of how the government views the things and involvement with social causes exposed the real picture. I find that there is a very very wide divide in our society, leave aside the divide in terms of gender, caste, creed, religion. The more serious divide that is growing is on economic lines. The divide between ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’. When my kid grows up using all the modern gadgets, hundreds of kids of his age too are growing up deprived of even basic necessities in lives. In this digitally connected world, the “have nots” too have dreams and aspirations, but lack resources. Won’t a time come in our society where there will be a rift between these two sections and I worry to wonder the anarchy that may prevail then. Today’s newspaper has one such heart rending story, a mother killed her child because she could not find means to feed the child and did not wanted to see the child die like this.
If only, I had a pandora’s box, I would have ensured that this evil does not crops it head again.
Tell about some of the people you have met while working on your blog?
I met some wonderful people while blogging, people who would add me on their friend’s list, send me mail, follow me on twitter. I met Shubhangi, a girl with big dreams for the society on my blog. Meena my best friend is never appreciative of my articles and keeps on saying “not bad”. I met and made friends with many such people like Sheetal, Amit, Vinaya Harish, my colleague Priya and many such wonderful souls.
How would (someone) describe your blogging style?
It’s simple, without much ornamental decoration or jugglery of words.
What do you do when you aren't working on your blog?
I design websites, read ebooks, youtube a lott, play simulation games, watch documentaries, work for self employment and women empowerment activities.
If you could plan the perfect holiday, what would it be?
Undoubtedly, It would be Ladakh. Been there twice, the desire to go there increases the more I go.
How many books do you read in a month - roughly?
I read ebooks and read many. The topics I like are history, politics, spiritual and mystic topics like life after death etc.
Favorite color?
Sky Blue
What is your most favorite electronic gadget?
i-Pad
Favorite book character or film character crush. Yes you can pick 2 :)
Have been old comics buff during childhood days, Many characters like Phantom, the Ghost who walks, Chacha Choudhari, Mandrake the Magician, Spiderman were my super heroes. Unfortunately the current generation do not have the luxury to enjoy these characters for they are more busy in their gadgets.
A character you love to hate in what book/TV show or movie?
None
Coffee or tea?
Tea.
Favorite food?
A Pakka Mumbaikar at heart. Ubiquitous Vada Pav of Amchi Mumbai.
Vanilla or chocolate ice cream?
Vanilla
What is a movie or TV show that you watched recently and really enjoyed?
Don’t watch much movies.
What really scares you?
Nothing as such.
What networking do you do that you feel helps your blog?
Nothing. I have a fb page and twitter that is synced with my blog.
How do you keep coming up with material/content for your blog? Many people struggle with coming up with different articles/posts.
A common man is my main protagonist. And we are a billion strong nation.
Do you think Page rank plays a vital role in a blog’s life? Why?
No, artificial measures like SEO, mopped up traffic remains just that. Artificial. If the content is good, people come to your blog.
What would you prioritize? Content? SEO? Traffic? Readers?
Quality Content
What’s the best thing a blogger can give to his readers?
A lingering thought after reading an article. A thought that is not sad, but inspiring.
What has been your strategy for creating visibility to yourself and your blog?
Have my Facebook Page and Twitter account, have synced all the three. Entry made in the blog gets posted on FB and Twitter immediately. No other efforts taken consciously to increase visibility.
What was the most challenging moment in your blog content development process and why?
There was one article, that I wanted to write. It was an emotional and sensitive subject. I knew if I had written on it, I would have reached many. But, the person on whom I would have written may not have necessarily appreciated. So I dropped the idea.
Everyone has a favorite/least favorite post. Name yours and why?
Asha Amar Aste… Hope is Eternal…
(https://vijaynjoshi.wordpress.com/2011/04/24/asha-amar-aste-hope-is-eternal/)
I like this article more than any other, for I have seen the entire story winding before me.
If you find Aladdin's lamp, what three wishes you would ask a Genie?
A breeze of Happiness in lives of all.
Peace
A good home for poor genie. Poor fella Aladdin has been in lamp for centuries now.
Name some of the bloggers whom you look up to and why?
Read and follow Kamal Kothariji’s blog as he is shares spiritual topics
If someone was interested in blogging, what would be a few things you would suggest?Be true to your feelings, don’t dramatize, don’t write to impress or hurt someone. There was a friend of mine who went to blog just to vent out ire on someone. No wonder the blog had only one entry.
If you were asked to send one message to your blog readers, what it would be?Keep reading, keep suggesting and do share good stories, together let’s spread happiness in this stressed out world.
Visit: vijaynjoshi.wordpress.com