History might be written by the victors, but it can always be interpreted by a commoner. Or by an IAS officer, to be precise.
In order to spread knowledge about Ancient Indian History, IAS officer Alok Kumar Pandey started his own YouTube channel where he uploads videos about great Indian kings and related stories. History can be often a boring subject of one tries to learn it by rote. But, it can be a fun story telling session, if narrated lucidly. Mr Pandey was always fascinated by the second style of learning and teaching.
In an exclusive conversation with Indian Masterminds, the officer talked about his videos and much more.
INTEREST IN ANCIENT HISTORY
Mr. Pandey completed his graduation from the University of Allahabad in Humanities where he got to study Ancient History in-depth, a subject that particularly aroused his interest.
“I enjoyed studying about the history of India. Even during my UPSC CS examination, I opted for Ancient History as my subject. My father was also a keen learner of history and since my childhood, he inculcated the same in me,” Mr. Pandey told Indian Masterminds.
In his UPSC examination, he scored high marks in the subject and went on to write a book for upcoming aspirants regarding preparation ideas and strategies for Ancient History.
AN EXPLORER
Once Mr Pandey entered civil services and started being postings in different places, he decided to learn about the history of those regions and visit every monument or place of culture therein. In this way, he explored and gained deep knowledge about a place, its rulers, and its cultural history.
“I visited places of ancient and medieval importance, monuments, rock inscriptions, etc., and gained as much knowledge as I could.”
HIS YOUTUBE CHANNEL
The officer roamed around cities gaining knowledge about the place from local people and observing ancient scriptures and details on his own. By now, he had acquired deep knowledge of Ancient History through social media, books, and newspapers, and by having a word with local guides and tourist experts. So, he decided to create a YouTube channel to share his knowledge with the public.
“I decided to create a channel on YouTube and give my discourse on whatever knowledge I had gained through local people in the places I have worked and lived. I was requested to do so by my family and friends as well,” he told Indian Masterminds.
The officer created his first video on Maharana Pratap, the popular Rajput king of Mewar, and imparted his knowledge and insights into the ruler’s heroism and his great personality.
“The video was appreciated beyond my expectations and received a lot of views not only in India but internationally as well! This gave me a boost of confidence and motivated me to create more such videos, not only related to untold battles but also architecture, culture, and the importance of cultural heritage and historical background of India.”
RESEARCH WORK
Before making a video on a particular place or topic, the officer first visits the place personally and gains knowledge about its past and historic importance directly from the local people.
“My videos are not only based on the fundamental theory of research but also depict the practical aspects, as I go there myself, observe the structure and monuments, and do thorough research. I never put in any facts that contradict history and, thus, my research helps me a lot in this regard,” stated the officer.
MANAGING WORK & YOUTUBE
Currently posted as the Director of Employment and Training and Managing Director of Gujarat Skill Development Mission, Mr. Pandey manages both his service and channel quite well. He uploads one video in a month so that his administrative duties don’t get impacted by his video work.
“I utilize my off days, weekends, and government holidays for research work and to record the videos. It takes 30-40 days to research on one particular topic and only after thorough research, I record videos and publish them,” the officer said.
Through his YouTube videos, Mr. Pandey wants to throw light on those unsung heroes and untold stories of heroism and glory that have not received the recognition they deserve in the pages of Indian history.
