Profile

Dr. Alok Jatratkar is a well known Media and PR Professional, Communicator, Author and Blogger from Maharashtra (INDIA). Basically a Journalist, he is working as Public Relations Officer to earn his bread and butter.

He is a keen researcher of the thoughts and work of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, Mahatma Phule, Rajarshi Shahu Maharaj and Karmaveer Vi. Ra. Shinde. He has elaboratively studied the movement of Satyashodhak, Non-Brahmin and Dalit Newspapers in India.

As a very keen social concerned Journalist and a responsible Sub-Editor, his innings at a leading Marathi Newspaper was proved to be very enriching. Later on he worked as Public Relations Officer at the Government of Maharashtra where also he gain respect as a very capable Officer. After functioning on various important posts at Government, he has served as an Assistant Registrar at Shivaji University, Kolhapur. And now, he is looking after the responsibility of the Public Relations of the same University as the first ever Public Relations Officer of Shivaji University.

After taking the basic degree of B.Sc. in Chemistry, Alok Jatratkar, decidedly chose to take his post graduation education in Journalism and Mass Communication, which was his real passion. Not surprising, he remained on top position at both the exam results of B.J.C. and M.J.C. courses at Shivaji University, Kolhapur. For this achievement, he was honoured with the Late Dr. N.B. Parulekar Award of Shivaji University and Rajarshi Shahu Paritoshik from Rajarshi Shahu Chhatrapati Memorial Trust, Kolhapur. He also submitted the dissertation on the subject "Science News Coverage in Media: A comparative Study between Print and Electronic Media", under the able guidance of Dr. Jagannath Patil. Recently he has qualified the Maharashtra State level SET examination conducted in February 2013 and the national level CBSE-NET examination conducted in December 2014, both in Journalism and Mass Communication. He has been awarded Ph.D. for his research "The Problem of Dalit Liberation: The Comparative Study between Non-Brahmin and Dalit Newspapers" submitted to Shivaji University, Kolhapur.

After finishing the PG education, he functioned as Surveyor for a very senior journalist Mr. Vijay Chormare, who was doing his research on the subject 'Role of Women in Local Body Government after getting 33% reservation', under fellowship programme of Birla foundation. During this Survey Mr. Jatratkar toured four districts of Western Maharashtra extensively viz. Kolhapur, Sangli, Satara and Solapur for nearly six months. This touring gave him vast knowledge of Socio-cultural patterns, Social responsibilities, Respect towards women alongwith the interviewing and surveying technics.

After completing this survey, he got an opportunity to work for daily Sanchaar, one of the leading newspaper of Solapur district, as Belgaum district correspondent. During the time, he was invited for setting up of the first ever cable news service of Nipani- the Nipani Darshan. He extensively took efforts for this new venture of Nipani and ran successfully in the region. His efforts were appreciated in all walks of Society. By the time, he was interviewed and appointed as Sub-Editor, at daily Sakaal, Kolhapur. Here, he worked hard to achieve excellence in the field of Journalism under the able guidance of Editor Mr. Dilip Londhe, Mr. Malhar Arankalle and Mr. Sanjay Patole. He functioned there as main sub-editor of the editions viz. Sangli, Kolhapur, Sindhudurg, Ratnagiri, Belgaum and Karad. He also looked after the special suppliments like Kala-Ranjan, Sports and the entertaining Laxvedhi. He also functioned as Night shift editor of Kolhapur Sakaal. His tireless efforts made 'Kolhapur Today', the special local daily suppliment, a huge hit and that made Sakaal group to launch it at all its editions spread across Maharashtra.

After a very pleasant experience of more than 5 years at Daily Sakaal, Dr. Jatratkar got selected as Assistant Director (Information) (A Class II, Gazetted Officer post) at the Directorate General of Information and Public Relation (DGIPR) of Government of Maharashtra. Under the able guidance of Mrs. Manisha Mhaiskar, IAS, he got to work at the various sections of DGIPR and the Government as well. He functioned as Duty Officer at News Section of DGIPR, the Departmental Liasioning Officer to the Ministers and Secretaries of Industries, Energy, Employment and Self-employment, Textiles and Non-Conventional Energy departments. He co-ordinated the news coverage section created for the US, Europe and Davos Conference (Switzerland) tours of Mr. Vilasrao Deshmukh, the then Chief Minister of Maharashtra. He also functioned as Co-editor of 'Lokrajya', the mouthpiece publication of the State Government. He contributed a lot for the special suppliments on the Industries, Energy, Environment and CM's Davos tour, which were appreciated by all. He was honoured with a special certificate by CM for his contribution at Lokrajya. He was then selected in a team created specially for the Launch of 'Mahanews'- the first ever News portal of DGIPR. Tireless and vacationless efforts for nearly six months, gave fruitful results. Mahanews became one of the most visited Government sites/portals during a short span of three months from its launching. Mrs. Mhaiskar awarded him with an appreciation letter for the contribution.

After the terrorist attack of 26/11 on Mumbai, in December 2008, DGIPR decided to create a special Press Briefing Cell for the Chief Minister of Maharashtra and the responsibility was again given to Mr. Jatratkar. He successfully ran the Cell, spending many sleepless nights (as he used to left his home at 3.00 AM daily to catch first train of 3.35 to CST from Kalyan). But his efforts were counted and on 2nd July of 2009, he was awarded with a new responsibility as a Public Relations Officer at the Office of the Deputy-Chief Minister of Maharashtra. Mr. Chhagan Bhujbal, the then Dy-CM got impressed with his public relations abilities, and he appointed Mr. Jatratkar as Manager (Public Relations) at Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (in April 2011), when he became the Tourism and PWD Minister of the State.

In June 2012, Mr. Jatratkar got his first promotion at DGIPR and he was appointed as District Information Officer of Raigad (Alibaug) district. On June 21st of 2012, he took charge of his new responsibility, but on that day the historic huge fire erupted in Mantralaya, the State headquarter. In this time of calamity, Mr. Jatratkar was called on by DGIPR for the crisis management of the situation. He was extensively involved in the press briefings, media coverage, press release preparation arrangements for the Minister and the Government. The situation was successfully overcame and returned to normalcy within three days.

By the time, Mr. Jatratkar was again got selected as an Assistant Registrar at Shivaji University, Kolhapur, in July 2012. Within no time he decided to join his own University supposing it as an payback time and joined there on 1st August 2012, after six years’successful Public Relation innings at DGIPR. Here, at University, without compromising his day to day heavy administrative responsibilites of the Meeting and Election Section and the charge of the Nodal Officer, he actively involved in the PR activities of the University and has contributed soulfully in the success of Annual Convocation Ceremony and Golden Jubilee year Celebrations of the University.

Fruitfully, during the recruitment process of the Public Relations Officer at the Shivaji University, Kolhapur, he proved himself better again in the online written test and interview. And, he was selected as the first ever Public Relations Officer in the 50 years history of the University. He took charge of the new post on 1st March 2014.

He continues and enjoys his pure passion for journalism by writing columns, articles regularly for various newspapers, magazines and on his own blogs.

He has delivered many lectures and conducted sessions creating awareness about the responsible use of Social Media platforms, especially for the Department of Forest, Maharashtra State at Pune and Mahabaleshwar. Also he has delivered many speeches in Western Maharashtra and North Karnataka especially addressing the youth about media, social media and social justice etc.