In Conversation with Mihir Singh, alumnus of AAFT Noida

Careers360 brings an interview with Mihir Sharma, M.A. in Journalism and Mass Communication alumnus of AAFT Noida. He currently works as a Senior Content Producer with a leading digital news platform. Mihir shares details about his career progression, memorable experiences, and the course pursued at AAFT Noida. Go through the interview to learn more about alumni’s campus life and experiences.

Careers360: Please introduce yourself, and share reasons why you chose AAFT as your preferred institution for higher education.

Mihir Singh: My name is Mihir Singh. I completed my M.A. in Journalism and Mass Communication from AAFT in 2021. I currently work as a Senior Content Producer with a leading digital news platform. Before AAFT, I had a B.A. in English Literature and I knew I wanted to build a career in media, but I did not want a generic mass communication program — I wanted somewhere that would put me inside the industry, not just teach me about it.

AAFT's location inside Noida Film City was a decisive factor. The second was the track record — Ajay Kumar, a Prime Time Host and Managing Editor of News Nation, is an AAFT alumnus. That kind of outcome was exactly what I was working toward. And when I visited the campus and saw the journalism labs, the interview studios, and the radio setup, I knew this was a serious program.

Also See: AAFT Noida Admissions 2026

Careers360: How would you describe your overall experience at the institution?

Mihir Singh: Transformative is the right word, though it sounds cliched. AAFT pushed me out of comfortable modes of thinking very quickly. The practical emphasis meant that within my first semester, I was already doing live news scripts, studio anchoring exercises, and radio production — not reading about them. That shift from consumer to creator happens fast here, and once it does, you cannot go back.

The diversity of the student community was something I had not anticipated and ended up valuing enormously. Sitting in a journalism class with students from multiple African countries, Southeast Asia, and different Indian states gave every discussion a richness of context that shaped how I now approach stories.

Careers360: How well did the curriculum prepare you for your career or higher studies?

Mihir Singh: Very well, for the practical fundamentals. The curriculum at AAFT is genuinely industry-oriented — it is built with the input of working professionals and Industry Deans, and that shows in the specificity of what is taught. I knew how to operate studio equipment, structure a news package, conduct an on-camera interview, and manage digital content workflows before I graduated.

I will say that the industry itself evolves faster than any curriculum can keep up with — the OTT shift and the pace of digital transformation happened very rapidly — but AAFT gave me a strong enough foundation that adapting was not difficult. The fundamentals are portable.

Careers360: Were there sufficient opportunities for internships, projects, or industry exposure during your time here?

Mihir Singh: Yes, and this was one of AAFT's clear strengths. The Career Resource Cell was proactive in connecting us with internship opportunities, and our location inside Film City meant that some of the internship channels were almost literally next door. During my first year, I interned with a digital content team through a placement facilitated by the CRC. That experience directly influenced the direction of my career.

The celebrity interactions and industry visits that AAFT organizes also served as informal but meaningful exposure. Being in a room where a working journalist critiques your work is an experience that shapes you faster than a semester of theory.

Careers360: How did extracurricular activities, clubs, or cultural events contribute to your personal development?

Mihir Singh: Significantly. I was part of the Journalism Club, and helping organize the Global Journalism Week was one of my most formative experiences at AAFT. I had to manage logistics, communicate with external guests, coordinate with faculty, and represent the school publicly. Those are skills that no classroom assignment can fully replicate.

The Asian Premier League was also something I look back on fondly — not because of the sport, but because it broke down the school silos and threw everyone together. Some of my most important professional connections at AAFT came from conversations at events like that, not from within my own school.

Careers360: What were the key strengths of the campus environment — infrastructure, resources, student life?

Mihir Singh: The infrastructure was unambiguously strong for a media institution. The journalism school specifically had interview studios, radio broadcast setups, and news anchoring labs that functioned as real working environments. AAFT's own Radio 107.4 FM gave us live air time, which was exceptional.

Student life was vibrant and genuinely global. The combination of students from 120 plus countries, an active event calendar, and the ever-present energy of being inside a real film and media city created a campus atmosphere that was unlike anything I had experienced before or since.

The faculty quality was also a key strength. Several of our instructors were working professionals — people actively engaged in journalism and media production — which meant the feedback we received was grounded in real-world standards.

Careers360: Did the placement cell or career services meet your expectations?

Mihir Singh: The CRC exceeded my expectations in terms of industry access — the range of companies it engaged with, the volume of opportunities shared, and the quality of the EDGE training program. I received my first job offer through a campus placement drive during my final semester.

Where I think the CRC could do more is in post-placement support — there are periods after you join an organization when mentorship from someone who has navigated similar transitions would be incredibly valuable. The alumni network exists, but a more structured mentorship program connecting recent graduates with senior alumni would be a meaningful addition.

Careers360: How has your degree contributed to your professional growth and career trajectory?

Mihir Singh: My M.A. from AAFT opened doors directly. The brand recognition within the media industry is real — hiring managers in newsrooms and content studios know what AAFT training means in terms of practical readiness. My first organization did not need to train me from scratch, and they knew that.

More importantly, the confidence that comes from having spent two years in a fully practical, production-oriented environment is something that cannot be manufactured in a shorter or more theoretical program. I walked into my first job ready to work, not just ready to learn how to work.

Careers360: What skills gained at the institution do you find most valuable in your current role?

Mihir Singh: Storytelling under pressure is the most portable skill AAFT gave me. The ability to take a complex situation, find the human angle, and present it clearly — within a deadline and within a format — is something I use every single day.

Studio and technical proficiency saved me enormous amounts of time early in my career. Knowing how to operate equipment, edit footage, manage audio — these are not glamorous skills but they make you indispensable on a small team.

And perhaps most unexpectedly — cross-cultural communication. Having spent years in a classroom with people from so many different backgrounds, I am genuinely comfortable navigating diverse teams and international contexts, which has become increasingly important in digital media.

Careers360: What challenges did you face during your academic journey, and how did you overcome them?

Mihir Singh: The first challenge was the sheer pace and volume of practical work. In traditional academics, you have reading and writing. Here, you are on your feet, on camera, in a studio — and the pace does not slow down for long. I overcame this through consistent effort and by leaning on my peer group heavily. AAFT creates a culture where collaborative learning is normal, which helped enormously.

The second challenge was managing the transition from a humanities background to a production-heavy program. I was not technical by training. But the faculty here were patient with students who came from non-technical disciplines, and the learning curve, while steep, was never insurmountable.

Careers360: How do you stay connected with fellow alumni and the institution?

Mihir Singh: AAFT's Alumni Meet is an annual event I try to attend whenever possible — it is a genuinely warm gathering where you reconnect with batchmates and also meet alumni from earlier and later years. The alumni network spans 35,000 plus professionals across the globe, so there is also an informal but wide-reaching community maintained through social networks and professional platforms.

I have also registered on the AAFT alumni portal, which makes it easier to stay updated on institutional developments and opportunities. And occasionally, when AAFT reaches out for mentoring sessions or industry talks, I participate — it is a way of giving back to a community that shaped my career.

Careers360: Would you be interested in mentoring current students or participating in alumni activities?

Mihir Singh: Absolutely. I believe strongly in the value of mentorship that is honest and specific — not inspirational speeches, but real conversations about how to navigate early career decisions, how to handle failure, and how to build in an industry that is constantly changing. If current students can benefit from mistakes I have already made, then sharing those experiences is both meaningful and practical.

I have already done one informal session at AAFT's School of Journalism and the engagement was genuinely encouraging. I would welcome a more structured opportunity to do this regularly.

Careers360: As a professional, how would you advise a student to plan a career, keeping in mind changes and upheavals in the industry?

Mihir Singh: The single most important thing I would say is this — do not build a career around a format or a platform. Build it around a skill set and a sensibility. Formats change. Television changed. Print changed. Social media will change. The journalists and creators who survived every disruption are the ones who understood their fundamental skill — storytelling, critical thinking, visual communication — and adapted how that skill was expressed.

Build your portfolio early and build it consistently. Document your work from your very first student project. When the time comes to show what you can do, a strong portfolio of real work speaks louder than any credential.

And invest in relationships. The industry is smaller than it looks from the outside, and almost every significant opportunity in my career has come through someone I already knew. Network intentionally, not transactionally.

Careers360: How do you think one should prepare for career advancement with value additions?

Mihir Singh: Learning never stops — but it needs to become more targeted as your career progresses. In the early years, consume broadly — formats, tools, styles, industries. Then, as you find your area of strength, go deep. Pursue specific certifications, attend industry-specific workshops, follow thought leaders in your niche.

For media and creative professionals specifically, staying current with technology is non-negotiable. AI is reshaping content production, distribution, and even journalism itself. Understanding these tools — not just knowing they exist, but actually using them — is the difference between someone who stays relevant and someone who gets left behind.

Students can identify value addition areas by honestly auditing what their current work lacks — is it technical skill, strategic thinking, client communication, a network, a second language? Each gap is a roadmap. AAFT's CARE platform — the online repository for career resources — is a good starting point for identifying and addressing those gaps systematically.

Careers360: How likely are you to recommend this institution to those planning to pursue higher studies?

Mihir Singh: On a scale of 1 to 10, I would give it a 9. My recommendation would come with context, as any honest recommendation should. AAFT is the right choice for someone who knows they want a career in the creative arts or media, who is willing to work hard in a practical, high-output environment, and who wants to enter the industry with real skills and real connections from day one.

It is not a conventional university experience. If you are looking for that, you will find better fits elsewhere. But if you want to spend your formative professional years inside a live, breathing media ecosystem — surrounded by people who are serious about their craft, trained by people who are working practitioners, and placed with organisations that know and respect what an AAFT education means — then there is no better place in India for it.

I owe a significant part of where I am professionally to the foundation that AAFT gave me. That is the simplest and most honest way I can put it.

Disclaimer: This content was distributed by AAFT Noida and has been published as part of Careers360’s marketing initiative.