It may sound ironic. The gladiatorial tech space that helped shape the popular podcast industry has had very little space in the sector itself.
Seen largely as a tech-savvy cousin of our good old interviews, podcasts have poured into our lives over the past decade, touching almost every field around us.
Yet there was little that spoke about the field that owes its existence to technology. The scene in Kerala, where two major IT communities thrive, was no different.
Technopark Today, one of Technopark’s community collectives, is planning to change this with the launch of Techie Talks, a dedicated podcast platform that will bring to light the interesting aspects and personalities within the field.
“This is also to bridge the gap between techies and the public. We are often seen as a queer bunch, who exist on burgers and cola, and who are too well-paid to have empathy towards the common masses,” says Ranjith Ramachandran, one of the founders of Technopark Today and a coordinator of Techie Talks, who will be anchoring the podcasts for now.
“We are also seen as people who are stranded to our laptops, typing furiously away, and living a life tied to the clock with no time or talent for anything else other than the work we do. This is far from true.”
Ranjith highlights that the Technopark community has ‘Kalathilakams’, artists, music bands, social service volunteers and sportspersons. “Some of us are excellent cooks who love trying out new dishes,” he laughs.
“Moreover, there are many who advocate sustainable living. Then, being from the knowledge society, there are entrepreneurs and inventors too, and mentors who can impart awareness on skill sets.”
The podcast aims to bring all this diversity among techies onto a common platform so that the public can access them through social media and learn how techies work in reality and what they are beyond their laptops.
Techie Talks will be hosted in a studio on the Technopark campus.
“There is an operational cost, so we may source sponsorship in future. But as of now, we are purely concentrating on the content,” says Ranjith.
“Interviews are going on, and we have over 1,000 people with varied interests and gripping stories to tell on our guest list. The speakers will be chosen with care from within the Technopark community and later, from the tech parks in Kochi and Kozhikode.”
Techie Talks will also invite anyone who can contribute with their expertise and experiences, who may not be working in the sector directly but is an allied associate. “Information technology is never standalone, and has its reflections in all walks of human operations. Our aim is to touch upon all that,” Ranjith says.
Techie Talks is planning a post-Onam launch. “We have completed about seven interviews and are planning 25 in the first batch. The podcast will be weekly. We also have plans to touch upon other professional areas once Techie Talks picks up. And once the Kerala chapter firms up, we may even go national with our interviews,” says Ranjith.