Dinesh Kamath’s biography that appeared in a Goan Magazine ‘Success’

This is Dinesh Kamath’s biography that appeared in a Goan Magazine ‘Success’

Dinesh Kamath – A Popular Journalist and Blogger

Here is the success story of popular journalist and blogger Dinesh Kamath. Dinesh Kamath was born at Bandra (West) in Mumbai, India on 31st August 1958. He was born in a Goud Saraswat Brahmin (GSB) family. He was born to his parents Keshav Vaman Kamath and Tara Keshav Kamath. His father Keshav Kamath was a Custom Officer in Indian Customs while his mother Tara Kamath was an ex-Customs employee who later chose to become a full-time housewife. She was occupying a good post in Indian Customs. Dinesh Kamath had an elder brother Purnanand Kamath.

Dinesh Kamath did his kinder garten at St. Theresa’s High School, Bandra (West) at Mumbai. After that his father Keshav Kamath got transferred to Goa in 1964. In Goa, Dinesh Kamath went to St. Theresa’s High School, Vasco Da Gama which later on got shifted to Mangor Hill.

In 1970, Dinesh Kamath’s father Keshav Kamath got transferred back to Mumbai, and he along with his family returned to Mumbai and resided again at Bandra (West).

Dinesh Kamath, after returning to Mumbai, joined St. Theresa’s High School at Bandra (West) again. He passed his Secondary School Certificate or SSC examination in 1975 after which he joined Parle College which is called Sathaye College today and which is at Vile Parle (East). Dinesh Kamath took up the Science stream. He studied up to B.SC but dropped out of the college before he could become Bachelor of Science and he went and joined Bombay College of Journalism at KC College at Churchgate, Mumbai since he wanted to become a Journalist. He completed his course in journalism after which he was searching for a job of a Reporter.

In the meanwhile, his father Keshav Kamath had risen to the position of Superintendent of Customs. But unfortunately, he expired on 18 February 1982 before he could become Assistant Commissioner of Customs. However, just before he died he was declared as recipient of President of India Award for his meritorious service in Indian Customs. Dinesh Kamath’s mother Tara Kamath received the Award on his behalf from then Finance Minister and Current President of India Pranab Mukherjee at the function held at Vigyan Bhavan in Delhi.

After Dinesh Kamath’s father expired, Dinesh Kamath was offered a job in Indian Customs. Dinesh Kamath reluctantly took up the job in Indian Custom since he wanted to be a journalist. He took up the job with the intention of quitting the service after he got the job of a journalist. While in Indian Customs, Dinesh Kamath did his B.A. or Bachelor of Arts in English, History and Sociology through Osmania University. Dinesh Kamath couldn’t get a job of journalist for a long time and he got stuck up in Indian Customs for 14 years during which time he had risen to the post of Custom Officer.

During this period, on 29 September 1990, Dinesh Kamath married Divya Kamath who works in Dr Bhanuben Mahindra Nanavati College of Home Science at Matunga. She occupies a good post over there. Both Dinesh and Divya Kamath then gave birth to their daughter Dhanashree Dinesh Kamath. Today Dhanashree Kamath is doing Master of Science or M.Sc.

On 1 May 1996, Dinesh Kamath resigned from Indian Customs, while he was working in the capacity of a Customs Officer, since he was determined to be a journalist. After that Dinesh Kamath was searching for a job in newspaper but in vain. He then did some small jobs here and there and at last he got a job in a weekly newspaper ‘In New Bombay’ at Vashi, Navi Mumbai.

It was K R Bhat, the then Editor of weekly newspaper ‘In New Bombay’, who interviewed Dinesh Kamath and found him fit to be the Sub-Editor of the newspaper. After consultation with Kailash Gindodia, Publisher of ‘In New Bombay’, Dinesh Kamath was appointed as Sub-Editor of ‘In New Bombay’. Once

Once Dinesh Kamath got a job in newspaper, he did not look back. In a short time, he rose to fame. The readers of ‘In New Bombay’ loved Dinesh Kamath’s contributions which consisted of Bollywood column ‘What’s Cooking in Bollywood?’, political cartoons called ‘Alooramji’ and children cartoons ‘Puno’.

As far as Bollywood columns are concerned, Dinesh Kamath entertained his readers with film reviews, gossips, profiles, commentaries relating to Bollywood personalities. Dinesh Kamath also adopted a method called ‘Flash Research’ while penning the Bollywood columns and his readers just enjoyed reading his works. ‘Alooramji’ cartoons were based on a funny political character named Alooramji. ‘Puno’ cartoons were based on a funny and small school boy. Dinesh Kamath’s Bollywood columns, Alooramji cartoons and Puno cartoons – all became a big hit with Navi Mumbai readers.

On 1 May 2007, the weekly newspaper In New Bombay got converted into Daily Newspaper ‘Newsband’. Dinesh Kamath now started contributing Bollywood columns daily. The name of his Bollywood Column was now ‘Movie and TV World’. In his regular film column, Dinesh Kamath didn’t just write about Bollywood but he also wrote about Hollywood films which his readers enjoyed going through. His method of ‘Flash Researching’ helped Dinesh Kamath a lot. He also started contributing Alooramji and Puno cartoons daily. In addition, he started writing Editorials too.  Dinesh Kamath has tackled International political issues, National political issues and also local political issues i.e. issues relating to Navi Mumbai in his Editorials. In matter of writing Editorials too, Dinesh Kamath made use of his ‘Flash Researching’ method. At one stage he began to contribute his reports or news items relating to local political and social issues also in big number. In his news item he brought to light the problems faced by Navi Mumbai residents. He also covered important issues relating to Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation or NMMC and City and Industrial Development Corporation or CIDCO.

The readers of daily newspaper Newsband loved all the contributions made by Dinesh Kamath, whether they were movie columns, Alooramji cartoons, Puno cartoons, Editorials or New Reports or News Items. Dinesh Kamath became a very popular journalist in Navi Mumbai. The credit for his becoming a popular journalist should undoubtedly go to Publisher of Newsband Kailash Gindodia and the former Editor of Newsband K R Bhat.

On 26 February 2009, Dinesh Kamath’s brother Purnanand Kamath expired. This was a sad moment for Dinesh Kamath and his family. Purnanand Kamath was occupying a good post in 'Central Bank of India' at Mumbai.

On 15 March 2010, two journalists, Indira Thakur and Rucha Kamat, introduced Dinesh Kamath to the Blog. They showed him how to start the Blog. After that there was no looking back for Dinesh Kamath. In less than four years, he filled his blog with his autobiographical columns, photos, movie columns, cartoons, editorials, news reports or news items and videos. Now Dinesh Kamath got converted from a local hero to International hero. People from all over the world started reading Dinesh Kamath’s blog. Today, as per the statistics quoted by the Blog, Dinesh Kamath has a huge number of Blog readers from all over the world, especially from India and the United States of America. In fact, as per the Blog statistics, more than 50% of his blog readers are foreigners.

On 30 September 2011, Dinesh Kamath was made the Editor of Daily Newspaper Newsband. He excelled even as a newspaper Editor. As an Editor, Dinesh Kamath also did a lot of reporting and tackled many sensitive issues of Navi Mumbai.

Dinesh Kamath has completed almost 10 years as a journalist and more than two years as Editor of Daily Newspaper ‘Newsband’. He has come close to completing four years in the matter of blogging.  Dinesh Kamath had become so popular with Navi Mumbai newspaper readers that at one stage he was made an offer to contest election for the seat of corporator in Navi Mumbai. After that he was made an offer to contest for the seat of Member of Legislative Assembly or MLa and then for the seat of Member of Parliament or MP. Dinesh Kamath refused saying that he wanted some time to think about it. Dinesh Kamath might enter politics in a big way one day in the future. Can’t say!

Thus this is the success story of popular journalist and blogger Dinesh Kamath. Let us wish Dinesh Kamath best of luck for the future.