Interview With Mark Rocha

Category:  Audio & Visuals

At the outset thanks for accepting our invitation!!!



1.Could you please tell us little bit more about yourself, about your growth curve and getting to where you want to?



Well I was born and brought up in Dubai, I lived there till I was 18, before coming back to Goa after my parents retired. At first I wanted to become a teacher, I majored in Literature because that's where my passion lies as a writer. Somewhere in the back of my mind I always wanted to be in the media industry - Radio, TV, why not? I grew up with it, and I never thought I'd get the opportunity; so when Radio Indigo came knocking, I opened the door.

2.You are a perfect example who is way ahead of others in turning imaginations into actions. Can you please share with us during all these formative years of yours, at any point, had you ever thought you would reach where you are right now?

I honestly never did. I thought I would finish my Bachelors, then do my Masters like everybody else. I even planned my Thesis so that I could do my PHD in literature; but life has a funny way of throwing the unexpected at you. It's all about being in the right place at the right time, and taking the opportunities as they come - so I did.

3.Your appetite for life to achieve more looks like insatiable; can you please shed some light when exactly you decided to pursue your dreams?



Like I said earlier, it just .. happened. I never thought I'd get the opportunity and when I did, I jumped at it. I had taken Mass Communication in my final year of college and majored in it, thinking that my career opportunities would be more - thankfully it was a good decision. Reality was becoming a teacher, the dream was being in the media world - thankfully the dream came true before reality kicked in!

4.While doing some research on you, I realized that at a young age, you always wanted to make it big, who was your role model then and who is it now?



My role model has always been my father. He used to work different shifts everyday for twenty odd years doing a job he didn't even like, just so he could give our family the best life possible. Looking back, I see so many things that he could have done differently, but I'm glad that he made the decisions that he did, otherwise I would not have been the person that I am today. Till today I admire him, and hope that more than being a media personality and changing the lives of others, like my dad, I want to be someone that cares about his family who is more important than any job or career.

5.As people say success begets success and without doubt it aptly applies for you. Could you please let us know about the secret of your amazing success as you made such a quick rise? Can you please share the same with our readers?



It's all about doing what you love to do, and others will love you for it. Being in radio is not a job - it's a gift. It's a chance to touch the lives of others and make them feel the same way you feel about music. There's so much that goes into it, the most important being passion. If you don't love what you do, you'll never be successful. The youth of today rarely have a career plan. All they know is that they want to get a job that pays big money because what they love is what they can do with the money. If that's the case, you'll never be happy or successful. The fun is always in the journey - not in reaching the destination.

6.To say the least your journey must have been a saga of ups and downs. Could you please share with us the firsthand recount of your not so happy yet enriching experiences? Can you please enlighten our viewers/readers the major hurdles you faced and how did you overcome them?



Well coming to Goa was a major hurdle. For me it was always a village where it rained all th time! That opinion is based solely on the fact that we used to visit Goa during the monsoons when I was little, 'cos that's when we'd get our holidays - so I never really liked Goa. It's only when I got here, that I realized that this place is really not that bad, and there was so much that could be done to make I my own - and so I did.



From then on it was about adjusting, making it through ..I got into journalism as well which helped me grow my network and meet a lot of wonderful people who I glad to call my friends. Hurdles are always gonna be there, no matter what track your on. If you keep your head up and aim high, chances are you'll jump high enough to clear it!

7.In such a short span of time you have achieved a lot which brought laurels from all corners for you. With all these impressive un-ending list of achievements, which honors gives you maximum satisfaction?



You're right, I have received laurels from all corners. Some are in print, some are awards or trophies - some are even titles. However, the ones that I look back on and say, 'yes, this is what I was born to do' are the messages and calls I used to get from listeners saying, 'hey Mark, we love the music - keep up the good work', or 'I love your show - I've thrown out all the CDs from my car, and only listen to you on the way home from work'. Even after I left radio , I'd still get messages saying that Radio Indigo is not the same anymore, messages from presenters on other stations as well. The most touching of them all though, was the article Sujay Gupta wrote in the newspaper, an article titled, 'The Roach Will Never Be Out'. To know I've touched so many lives in such a profound way, is something that I'll never forget in a heartbeat.

8.Your fans,  say you are an eternal optimistic by nature who always strives for perfection. People generally take a while in learning power of disagreements but you are known for even taking criticism as an opportunity to improve. Could you please share with us the toughest criticism you have ever received?



Wow, that's a tough one. You're right, I do look at criticism as something that helps me learn and improve, but to try and single out the toughest criticism is hard. I guess I would have to say that I haven't yet received criticism that I consider too tough to deal with. It's always been constructive and didactic - and I'm glad that it's helped me become a better person.

9.Can you please tell us something about the various activities that keep you busy in your spare time? Are these also related to your current profession?



Well I love to travel, I love to get out and stay out. Whether it's with friends, or by myself. More than that, music plays a huge part in my life, so whether it's listening to music, playing music, writing music, singing - it's what helps me breathe, and I can't live without it. I guess it's what helped me become a successful radio presenter.

10.Success in some way is about creating extra-ordinary results with limited resources and you are generating lot of waves despite experiencing so many hurdles in the past, can you please tell us which has been your best or 'unforgettable' performance till date?



Sadly, I would have to say it was my last show on Radio Indigo. It was truly unforgettable. What started out as four hours of thanking the people for making Cruise Control the show that it was, it quickly became an interactive bond between radio and people in a way that I never imagined. Every link was a live call - whether it was a listener, or a member of the Indigo Goa family, or y own family, it was absolutely amazing.

11.You are known for your creativity, can you please tell us any innovative idea you are trying these days? What's going through your mind these days?



Hmm .. I'm definitely trying to come back to Goa and pick up where I left off. I want to make a change - give Goa something it never had. I'm curently working on revolutionizing the media scene in Goa, so lets see what comes out of it!

12. I really appreciate your Attitude of Gratitude and the way you keep mentioning various people for the guidance provided by them to you. I am sure it would be quite interesting to know, who supported you most in your career and kept the hunger continuously alive in you?



Well without a doubt, that would have to be my girlfriend. We started dating in college, and from the offset, she supported me and was enthusiastic about every step I took, often accompanying me on the hunt for a good story across Goa. Even towards my final year, she's help me in my practicals and all the movies I had to shoot as projects. With regards to Radio, it was never a dull moment when she was around. A registered member of the Indigo Family, she helped us with all our events, playlists, posters, designs and moreover, after everyone left and I was the only one in the studio, she still stuck around to keep me company. We were a very small team, and at one point, I was the only person in programming, so when the late nights at work turned to early mornings, I knew I could always give her a call - no matter what time it was. Things got a rough as our team grew smaller, and no matter how tensed or clueless I was, I knew she was there to understand and support me.



Apart from her, I'd have to give credit to my team at Radio Indigo, especially Jefferey for giving me the opportunity to be in radio; Shervyn for teaching me that if you love what you do, others will love you for it; Floyd for often turning misery to mirth; Vivek for making sure I was well fed when I was working late; all the listeners who's varied choice of music is what helped Radio Indigo span the spectrum of good music; and last but not least, my family - my biggest fans, for believing in me, and letting me do what I loved.

13. I know you have a burning desire to scale new heights and needless to say you must be having some specific goals which must be driving you. Could you please let us know about your specific goals at this stage of your career and where do you see yourself evolving in the next five years? Can you please also share what are your future plans?



Well the future is what we make of it, and I see my self running my own Radio/TV station. I won't happen anytime this month or year, but it will happen soon. As long as I'm breathing, I'll make it happen!

14.Would you recommend the younger generation to follow your foot steps and become like you? If yes, What path(studies, courses, experience) do you recommend for  the younger generation should choose, to get into a career like yours?



You can study as much as you want, do all the degrees, courses and diplomas, and still not learn anything. School and College are only guides to put you in the right direction. They don't teach you what to learn, they teach you how to learn, and the most important teacher of all is experience. In the world of media today, it's all about being confident, street smart and of course, having great communication skills. No course can teach you how to be spontaneous, witty, interactive and human - it's all inside you. It's all about having what it takes, and taking chances.



We wish you all the best in your career and in your live as you scale even greater heights!!



Thank you so much for this opportunity Raymond, it was a pleasure!

Posted on: 23-04-2010