Straight Answers

Tim Sebastian, Presenter, BBC Hard Talk, On what makes him the interviewer that he is.
Having interviewed people from fields as diverse as business, politics and social work, what have you learnt from the interaction?
Interviewing people from such diverse fields has been a very humbling experience for me. It has made me realise that what I do is the easy bit. To criticise and pick holes is not difficult... for, I don''t do the constructing part, the making of policies, the peace processes.What is difficult is to make a difference to society. In fact, this question reminds me of an interview with a UN official who I was grilling in my usual manner — pulling him up for all the things the UN hasn''t done. Suddenly, he turned back and asked me, ‘How many people have you saved from dying?'' And that hit me. I have met some remarkable people during my interviews — people who have left a lasting impact on me.
During your current visit to India, you have met a number of prominent figures such as Mehboob Mufti, Yashwant Sinha, Harmala Gupta of Cansupport and Brajesh Mishra, among others. How was it interviewing these people?
I had to do a lot of research during a very short span of time before meeting these people —but it was an enriching experience, a fascinating eye-opener. Besides, meeting these people has helped me absorb certain relevant aspects of Indian politics. Earlier, I had the opportunity of interviewing Jaswant Singh — but he took the interview personally.
Are there any Indian personalities you are interested in interviewing other than the ones you have met?
Well, yes, I was really looking forward to meeting LK Advani but, unfortunately, he turned down the offer. Even Ranjan Modi was caught up with some prior engagements and I missed the opportunity of meeting him.
You have been conferred the Interviewer of the Year award and are appreciated for your style. Is there a strategy you follow?
Usually, it''s all about doing your research properly. Moreover, I am always trying to project a new angle other than what is already known. What is important is not the person, but the issue one is referring to. There could be times when I may need to overlook individual sensibilities while dealing with issues of importance.