Meet the Minds Behind MasterLearn

Where diverse expertise meets shared passion for transforming news reporting education across India and beyond

Dr. Priya Nair - Chief Learning Officer

Investigative Journalism Digital Media Ethics Curriculum Design Educational Technology

Dr. Nair brings fifteen years of field experience from major Indian news outlets, including her groundbreaking work exposing corporate fraud at The Hindu and her award-winning coverage of rural education issues. Her transition from newsroom to classroom happened in 2021 when she realized that the next generation of journalists needed completely different skills than what traditional programs were offering.

What sets Dr. Nair apart isn't just her impressive resume – it's her ability to bridge the gap between old-school journalism principles and today's digital-first reality. She spent three years developing our signature "Source Verification in the Age of AI" curriculum after witnessing how many young reporters struggled with fact-checking in fast-paced environments.

Her PhD research at JNU focused on how social media has fundamentally changed source relationships, and she's published extensively on maintaining journalistic integrity while working within algorithm-driven platforms. Students often mention her uncanny ability to simulate real newsroom pressure during training sessions.

Beyond academics, Dr. Nair maintains active connections with newsrooms across Kerala and Tamil Nadu, ensuring our curriculum stays relevant to current industry needs. She's also fluent in Malayalam, Tamil, and Hindi, which helps her understand regional media landscapes that often get overlooked in journalism education.

Rajesh Kumar - Senior Training Coordinator

Broadcast Journalism Live Reporting Crisis Communication Regional Media

Rajesh's journey from a small-town stringer to prime-time anchor at Asianet News gives him unique insight into the challenges facing aspiring journalists from non-metropolitan backgrounds. His real-world experience covering everything from monsoon floods to political rallies shapes every aspect of our practical training modules.

What makes Rajesh invaluable to our team is his deep understanding of how journalism works outside major cities. He's covered stories in remote villages where internet connectivity is spotty and sources speak only local dialects. This experience directly influences our "Resourceful Reporting" workshops, where students learn to gather and verify information under less-than-ideal conditions.

His expertise in live television has proven especially relevant as more digital platforms adopt real-time reporting formats. Rajesh developed our "Composure Under Pressure" training after realizing that many journalism graduates freeze up when unexpected situations arise during live coverage.

Students appreciate his straightforward teaching style and his willingness to share both success stories and honest accounts of mistakes he made early in his career. He often brings guest speakers from regional newsrooms, maintaining connections that frequently lead to internship opportunities for our graduates.

Our Collective Expertise

Together, our core team represents over 35 years of combined experience across print, broadcast, and digital journalism. We've covered elections in four states, reported from natural disaster zones, and adapted to three major technological shifts in how news gets produced and consumed.

847 Students Trained
23 News Organizations
89% Job Placement Rate
15 Industry Partners

"The best journalism education happens when experienced practitioners stay connected to both current industry realities and emerging challenges. We're not just teaching techniques – we're preparing people to think critically about information in an increasingly complex media landscape."

- Core Philosophy, MasterLearn Team

Continuously Evolving Approach

Our team meets quarterly with working journalists to update curriculum content, ensuring every module reflects current industry practices. We've restructured our entire program twice since 2023 based on feedback from hiring managers and recent graduates working in the field.