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Neelesh Misra
This picture was taken during a recording of his poems Purane Khat
Born	(1973-05-05) May 5, 1973 (age 40)[1] Nainital, India
Residence	Mumbai, India
Nationality	Indian
Alma mater	Indian Institute of Mass Communication
Occupation	Writer, Lyricist(Bollywood), Script-writer (Bollywood), Storyteller, Photographer, Journalist, Entrepreneur
Spouse(s)	Yamini Misra
Awards	Ram Nath Goenka Award, K. C. Kulish Memorial Award
Website
www.neeleshmisra.in

Neelesh Misra (Hindi: नीलेश मिस्रा) (born 1973) is an award-winning Indian journalist, author, radio storyteller, Bollywood scriptwriter and a noted lyricist, poet, and photographer. He occupies a unique space on the Indian creative landscape. His last day-job was as the Deputy Executive Editor of Hindustan Times. He moved on to pursue his love for writing and creating content that connects him with more and more people by means of books, stories, songs, scripts and his voice. He is most known for his very popular radio show, Yadoon Ka Idiotbox on BIG FM 92.7.^[2] He is co-founder-editor of Gaon Connection, India's rural newspaper. He has also founded a content creation company called Content Project Pvt. Ltd. This is a team of talented and creative people who would work together to create content across media verticals. The team is called ‘The Mandali” (Hindi for connected circle or community of people sharing similar interests). The Mandali consists a group of multi-genre, multi-discipline writers who he mentors. Neelesh Misra is the Founder & CEO of Content Project Pvt. Ltd.

Early life and education [edit]

Born and brought up in Nainital,^[3][4] His father belonged to a village, Kunaura 160 km from Lucknow.^[5]

Neelesh Misra did his schooling from boarding school, St. Joseph's College, Nainital (1988) and Mahanagar Boys' Inter College, Lucknow (1990). He did his graduation from DSB Government Degree College, Nainital (1993),^[6] and later studied at Indian Institute of Mass Communication, Delhi.

Career [edit]

As a journalist,he has covered conflict and insurgency over the past two decades in South Asia, travelling deep into the hinterland. His travels have taken him from the rebel heartlands of Kashmir to Naxalite-dominated areas of central and eastern India, to the faraway north-east which is home to some of the world’s longest running insurgencies. He has closely studied the Maoist insurgency in Nepal. For his reportage from India’s insurgency lands, he received the Ramnath Goenka Award For Excellence In Journalism and the K.C. Kulish Memorial Award in the year 2009. Presently he is the Editorial Director of his rural newspaper Gaon Connection.

He has written five books, including the well received The Absent State (2010), which he co-wrote with Rahul Pandita ^[7]

Neelesh started his career as a Bollywood lyricist, when while researching for a book in Mumbai, he met director Mahesh Bhatt, which led to his debut song Jaadu Hai Nasha Hai for Jism (2003),^[3] this was followed by hit songs like Kya Mujhe Pyaar Hai for Woh Lamhe (2006), and went on write over 30 songs in over 15 films.^[8][9] In 2012, he co-wrote the screenplay for Salman Khan starrer, Ek Tha Tiger, along with film's director Kabir Khan.^[4]

He was the creative director, singer and songwriter in the India’s first writer-led band, Band Called Nine, with singer Shilpa Rao and composer Amartya Rahut, working with traditional Indian craft of Qissa Goi (storytelling).^[10][11] The band was launched in 2010, at the launched at the annual Kala Ghoda Arts Festival in Mumbai.^[8] In 2011, the band released its debut album, Rewind, consisting of songs and storytelling, put together with narrative recited by Misra.^[4][11]

He is also a blogger.,.^[12] His blog contains his experiences during his days as senior roving editor, his thoughts on various issues, and the poems he has written. He hosts a radio show, Yadoon Ka Idiotbox on BIG FM 92.7, set in fictitious small town, Yaad Sheher, and which started its second season in 2012.^[2][4] In late 2012, he along with Karan Dalal, started a rural newspaper, Goan Connection, based in in Kunaura, a village near Lucknow.^[5]</ref>^[13]

He is married to Yamini Misra (née Tripathi), and lives in Mumbai.

Books [edit]

Non-fiction [edit]

• The Absent State (Hachette, 2010), a book on insurgency co-written. ISBN 9350093669.
• 173 Hours in Captivity: 173 Hours in Captivity: The Hijacking of IC-814, Harper Collins, 2000. ISBN 8172233949.
• End of the Line: The Story of the Killing of the Royals in Nepal. (Penguin, 2001). ISBN 9780143027850.

Fiction [edit]

• Once Upon a Timezone. Harper Collins, 2006. ISBN 8172236646.
• Neelesh Misra ka Yaad Sheher Volumes-I and II. (Westland Books). ISBN 9382618376.

As Editor [edit]

• India Yatra (Harper Collins, 2009, with a foreword by Nandan Nilekani)
• Inspired India: Ideas to Transform a Nation, Harper Collins, 2010, with a foreword by APJ Abdul Kalam. ISBN 817223782
• Dream Chasing ,One Man's Remarkable True Life Story, a book by his father, Dr. S.B.Misra.(Roli Books, 2011,with a foreword by Sam Pitroda. ISBN 8174368191.

Awards [edit]

• Ram Nath Goenka Award for Excellence in Journalism (under the category “Covering India Invisible”, for a nine-part series on insurgency, titled "India Besieged")^{[citation needed] [14]}
• K. C. Kulish Memorial Award (jointly with Pakistan’s Dawn newspaper, for the series "The New Muslim")^{[citation needed]}
• K. C. Kulish Memorial Merit Award (for a nine-part series on insurgency, titled "India Besieged")^{[citation needed]}

Filmography [edit]

Screenwriter

• Ek Tha Tiger (2012)

Lyricist

• Jaadu Hai Nasha Hai - Jism (2003)
• Chalo tumko lekar chalein - Jism (2003)
• Maine dil se kaha - Rog (2005)
• Kya Mujhe Pyaar Hai - Woh Lamhe (2006)
• Lamha Lamha - Gangster (2006)
• Bepanah Pyaar hai - Krishna Cottage (2004)
• Bolo Na Tum Zara - Fight Club – Members Only (2006)
• Khwaishon se - Holiday (2006)
• O sexy Mama - 13B (2009)
• Gulon Mein Rang Bhare - Tribute to Faiz - Sikandar (2009)
• I am in love - Once Upon A Time In Mumbai (2010)
• Anjaana Anjaani ki Kahani - Anjaana Anjaani (2010)
• Abhi Kuch Dinon Se - Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji (2011)
• Dil Hai Nakhrewala- Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji (2011)
• Humko Pyaar Hua - Ready (2011)
• I Love You - Bodyguard (2011)
• Dil Mera Muft Ka - Agent Vinod (2012)
• Khudaaya - Shanghai (2012) ^[15]
• Banjaara - Ek Tha Tiger (2012)
• Kyon - Barfi! (2012)

See also [edit]

• Fractofusus misrai, a fossil discovered in Newfoundland, Canada in 1967 by Prof S.B. Misra and named after him.

References [edit]

• Neelesh Misra at Bollywood Hungama
• [1]

External links [edit]

• Official Website
• Neelesh Misra blog
• Neelesh Misra at the Internet Movie Database