How we did “Live” when there was no electricity

It was personally a rare experience last week. As I have become lazy nowadays, reducing the workload especially on tours — it was due to my physical conditon — I was not interested in doing the Live text commentary of Asia Cup for women in the beginning.

But a volunteer of hockey, whom I knew well over three years now, would not accept. His enthusiasm prompted me to go for the ‘Live’. His point was, fans of hockey back home are not getting much, as I was not posting article in website as I was exclusive writing for an agency. Once India reached the semis, his request and prompting could not be overlooked.

The problem in doing Live is, I have to forgo photo shoot, delay filing the report, and then the required hi-speed connectivity which can at times test your patience. Live means, I am always under tension, as it is one-man show. If something goes wrong there is no alternative which might disappoint visitors who will be deprived of the thrill of the match.

As Luck would have it, the Live hit the first roadblock exactly half an hour before the start of the final. The whole stadium plunged into dark, due to some problem.

Immediately I hit upon the idea. I called the same volunteer in India and asked him to open his laptop and connect internet.

He being a hi-tech man it did not take much time to take him into the world of ‘how and what’ of doing Live.

This strategy worked — we could inform the delayed start. It would not have hit upon you how you got the info about delayed start when the whole stadium has run out of electricity!

Then we both were constantly in touch over phone, got the byte of Chief coach loaded on the Live, informed the arrival of Indian embassy fans to the stadium, and all the updates.

Our phones kept on ringing for another two hours (because the Half Time rain went on for 40 minutes) and that’s how we managed to do the ‘Live’ of Bangkok from India.

The phone bill, yes, got our pocket burning, but we got the satisfaction of getting the ‘Live’ going.

At the same time, we got a innovation, as to how to come out of tight situation such us this, without compromising on the output.

This way I could discharge all the assignments including taking photos, writing, Live, and all within the given time frame.

I really thank the volunteer for the effort and motivating me, we got the Live of the rare finals thanks to his prompting.

So, when you happen to see Live next time, don’t think it is such a easy thing.

Note: I reminded of this today as I got a photo of me doing the ‘Live’ standing on the stands from a hockey fan in Bangkok. This image is given here.

Picture at the top Indian coaching staff in duscussion as the stadium plunged into darkness due to power failure. The teams had by then warmed up