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From Humble Beginnings to Mastering the Art Of Telling Stories

From Humble Beginnings to Mastering the Art Of Telling Stories

The former Columbia Primary School pupil, who matriculated at Avoca Secondary, attributes his success to his passion for journalism and his love for telling stories.

He is the winner of eight Vodacom Journalist of the Year awards. He has been featured on many international broadcasting platforms such as the BBC in London and the Turkish Radio and Television Corporation. He has travelled the world, but more importantly, he is one the many faces we see on eNCA daily, keeping us informed about critical events in South Africa. He is ‘our own’ media hero,Dasen Thathiah.

People are known for becoming vain with such accomplishments behind them, but Thathiah, a former Avoca resident, remains humble despite the many accolades he has received at a relatively young 34!

The former Columbia Primary School pupil, who matriculated at Avoca Secondary, attributes his success to his passion for journalism and his love for telling stories. “I do this out of love for the craft and the people whose stories I tell each day. Stories can change the world and I want to contribute to that in some small way. Do I love TV? Yes, but it’s not about fame. It’s merely a medium through which I can express my passion for journalism. We must never lose sight of our power and purpose,” said Thathiah.

He has been with eNCA since 2011 cut his journalism teeth in 2005 at the Durban University of Techology’s (DUT) student online platform where he was a writer. This go-getter also worked for eThekwini Municipality as a web and content provider and for the Communications Department at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).

He later made his way as a reporter for The Daily News and also lectured to Journalism students at Varsity College, Durban North. Already a DUT Journalism graduate, he will be graduating for his B-Tech in May 2019.

“Like many others, my parents sacrificed a lot to put me through school and university and I honour them by never forgetting where I come from. Last year, I balanced a full-time B-Tech degree with my taxing work schedule by working extra hours to make time for essential classes. I didn’t have the funds or time to do it immediately after my diploma but I was determined to get it done last year,” he said.

Thathiah is the youngest of three children, with two older sisters. He has one niece and two nephews and refers to them as the children he does not have as yet. “As much as I love being out and about, home is where the heart is. Playing video games with my nephews is more important to me than dancing at a club until the sun comes up,” he said.

Thathiah now lives in the plush suburb of Essenwood. Speaking about what he does in his spare time when he is not on our TV screens, the humble journalist said he loves spending time with his family. He also loves ‘working’ with cars, enjoys listening to music and does a bit of DJ-ing from time to time. The car enthusiast has a classic 1969 Beetle, which he keeps ‘pimping up.’

“The Beetle is my first car and even though I have another car now, I still keep it because it is a classic. I also love listening to music – no specific genre but all types of music,” he said.

He added that his favourite deejay is DJ Sox because he makes good music and is humble. His favourite hang-out spot in Durban is anywhere on Florida Road and he enjoys a good chicken dish. His future plans are telling as many great stories as he can in the time that he has; he also looks forward to starting a family in the coming years.

Thathiah’s advice to aspiring journalists is to do journalism not for the fame but rather for the passion. “Television is not as glamorous as it looks. There are two distinct sides – the groundwork side and the presentation side. One has to present the story in a way that is understandable and believable. Remember time is precious for TV, so you have to tell as much as you can with in the limited time that you have,” he said.

Pictured: Dasen Thathiah has won eight Vodacom Journalist of the Year awards.

Copy and pictures: Zola Phoswa/ https://risingsunoverport.co.za/70822/humble-beginnings-mastering-art-telling-stories/

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