Sanjib Kumar Roy (born 2 May 1979) is a prominent journalist and a well-known media figure of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. He is the first television journalist of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, who had worked for various news-channels like NDTV, ETV, INDIATV and STAR NEWS, before and after the 2004 Boxing day Tsunami.
Roy is known as a journalist who has covered maximum number of news regarding Tsunami from Andaman and Nicobar Islands. His copies, phono-updates, TV and radio reports regarding Tsunami, count more than 2,000.
Sanjib Kumar Roy, popularly known as Sanju or Roy, have also worked various agencies like Reuters, AFP, PTI, UNI, IANS, (wire services) The New Indian Express, (newspaper) Down to Earth and UTs’ Voice (Magazines).
He is the founder Editor of an English Weekly ‘Andaman Rostrum’ and a monthly colour magazine ‘Mirror Andaman’, being published from Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India. He is also the Publisher, Printer and Owner of a Daily, Andaman Sheekha.
He is presently working for Reuters, United News of India (UNI), The New Indian Express, UTs’ Voice and Down to Earth Magazine. He is also working as Editor of a few periodicals, being published from Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Education:
Born and brought-up in the far-flung Indian Islands of Andaman and Nicobar, Roy completed his schooling from Rabindra Bangla Vidyalaya, Port Blair, where later after completing his studies, he had also taught for nearly a month. His schooling up to Matriculation was in Bangla Medium.
He graduated in Botany from the JNRM, a government college of Port Blair, in 1999 and completed his B.Ed degree in Bio Science from TGCE, another Government college of Port Blair. Both the colleges are affiliated to Pondicherry University of Ponducherry.
Though he could not finish his Master’s Degree in Botany due to financial problems, he completed his first Master’s Degree in Hindi Literature from DDE, Pondicherry University.
He completed his Post Graduated Diploma in Journalism and Mass Communication from IGNOU and Diploma in Software Technology from CMC.
He has also completed two years Diploma in Classical Music (Tabla-instrument) and Two years Diploma in Fine Arts from Pracheen Kala Kendra, Chandigarh through Distance Education.
He also passed Certificate ‘C’ Examination of NCC during his graduation in 1999.
Career:
Sanjib Kumar Roy, joined NDTV in 2002 and UNI in 2003 as stringer. When in 2002 May his first crucial report on ‘SC judgment on Tree Felling’, was telecast by NDTV (then known as star news) he became the first TV journalist of Andaman and Nicobar Islands and his cameraman Cheeranjeevi Rao, the first TV cameraman of the remote Islands.
But, he rose to fame after 2004 Asian Tsunami and soon became a reliable contact point for various the national and international media for his deep knowledge regarding the islands and sharp nose about news. His services to various international and national media was duly recognized by various well known journalists of India and abroad.
A few months after the 2004 Tsunami, Roy got a permanent job in United News of India (UNI) and worked for some months in New Delhi and Kolkata Bureaus, later he was posted back in Andaman and Nicobar Islands for post Tsunami Coverages.
In 2005 October, Roy got another permanent job in Andaman’s Education Department as Music Teacher (Tabla- instrument) and due to family pressure he left his journalism career and joined a government school in the remote and tsunami ravaged Island of Car Nicobar. He taught students in relief tents and lived under extreme conditions, amidst huge shortage of food and other essential commodities.
Due to his contributions to his government schools within a very short span of time and active role in building back confidence among the students of Tsunami hit islands, Roy was selected as troupe leader of a tribal folk dance contingent of Car Nicobar, which was sent to New Delhi in 2006 to participated in famous Lok Tarang Festival (LTF). The island contingent performed in front of the then President of India, Dr. A P J Abdul Kalam in the month of January 2006.
Due to his immense love for journalism, Roy resigned from his highly paid permanent government job and jumped back again in Journalist with more enthusiasm and commitment. Bread or No Bread, he decided to devote rest of his life for journalism and his first love, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. In 2006 August he resigned from the job of Music Teacher and came back in the field of journalism.
Soon he joined Reuters, UNI, Down to Earth and The New Indian Express on Contract and also started freelancing for dozens of other media units, across the world.
Radio Jockey:
Sanib Kumar Roy, is also a very popular Radio Jockey of Port Blair’s All India Radio station since 2003. Roy, a casual announcer of AIR, Port Blair, hosts the most popular, Jhoom Masti Jhoom, a pop music based programme, every Sunday Evening at 19:15 hrs. He also hosts programmes like Kehkasha (programme based on Gazals), Fast Track, Yadein etc.
Singer and Drum Player:
Sanjib Kumar Roy, is also known Singer and Drum Player of Andaman and Nicobar Islands and have performed in more than 450 Stage Shows across A & N Islands and also in New Delhi. Beside singing Raps, Pop and Punjabi Numbers, Roy plays Tabla, Tumba, Kongo and Octapads (both spd-11 and spd 20).
Sanjib was the drum player and vocalist of Avinash Orchestra up to 2002 and now he plays octapad and sings for GAO, another local orchestra of Andamans..