Legal Eagle, Journalist, Public Speaker, Debating Mentor.
Well before he donned the black gown and enrolled as an advocate with the Bar Council Of Tamilnadu, Sanjay was a familiar face on national television, with his inimitable sign off "In Chennai, Sanjay Pinto, NDTV" for a decade and a half. His legal acumen and flair for advocacy were evident right from the nineties when he represented both Loyola College & Dr.Ambedkar Govt law College as a firebrand speaker and emerged a national debating champion with a record 106 victories under his belt. As he delves into legal practice, Sanjay taps into a wealth of experience and exposure.
In his previous avatar, Sanjay was the Resident Editor (Consultant) and Bureau Chief (Tamilnadu) of NDTV 24x7 and the Executive Editor of NDTV Hindu. Not to forget, a recipient of the Rotary Award For Vocational Excellence. During his media stint, Sanjay interviewed almost every top public figure – from Prime Ministers & Union Ministers to Chief Ministers & Governors from Chief Justices & legal luminaries to international diplomats & bureaucrats in India, from international sportspersons - cricketers to tennis players to film stars to business magnates. As a news hound, he covered every possible beat - Politics, Courts, Crime, Sports, Entertainment, Education, Business & Environment and handled the most challenging assignments such as natural disasters – the tsunami, earthquakes and cyclones, air crashes, train accidents, assassination & bomb blast cases, ethnic conflicts, sensational arrests, rocket launches, international sports tournaments and much more. Predictably, covering sensational court trials was always up his street.
Public speaking, mentoring youngsters in oratory and anchoring intellectual programmes have been his forte. Whether it was anchoring national news bulletins like 'Southern Edition' and shows on current affairs like 'Chennai Speaks Out', 'Corridors Of Power', 'Enterprising Entrepreneurs', 'The Big Question' or moderating signature radio debates like 'The Big Battle' or discussions in public fora, Sanjay earned the reputation of being a no nonsense ‘tell it like it is’ professional.
Sanjay’s communication prowess is not limited to speaking. His columns on legal issues and the social media in national newspapers are widely acclaimed and his book on the Media & Law is in the pipeline. Sanjay is part of legal history, having won a landmark case on criminal defamation pertaining to a live telecast. As he continues to champion the cause of truth and fight for justice, the former award winning ‘breaking news’ man brings to the table, vast domain knowledge and a powerful network.
