Moments I would always cherish as part of my first workplace
It’s been quite long since the time- almost a full month now- I actually planned to write this entry. But due to some thing or the other pre-occupying my mind and schedule, this went on getting delayed. My first assignment at college in my second year today, re-infused the spirit back in me.
A facebook profile mention by a ‘senior’, a few short visits to Green Park Extension, a brief round of introduction with the ‘bureau chief’ and a short interview by the ‘intern-in-charge’, opened my doors to Indo-Asian News Service for 30 days of extensive learning.
Going on the first day as intern to cover a press conference alone and getting lost in the corridors of Hotel Ashoka, interviewing the Chairman and Managing Director of Woodland, spending a whole night on the terrace at an unknown place with unknown people for gazing at the moon when it went through the darkest lunar eclipse of the century, venturing out at 6 in the morning to India Gate to witness the flagging off of the Himalayan Odyssey, attending Anna Hazare’s day-long fast at Raj Ghat, relishing the flavour of over 400 varieties of mangoes at the Annual Mango Festival, visiting central government ministries and meeting the very top-notch people- that was my schedule, in brief, of 8-10 hours each day at my work place.
After a year of Journalism classes, I was now seeing the things which I learnt in the classroom actually getting materialised in the real-life of a journalist. I am quite sure that now I wouldn’t ever forget what an embargo is or how investigative story-telling is done or what the code-of-conduct is at a press conference.
It didn’t take me long to get to know people at IANS. And I got to be known soon enough as well. Even before my entry into the organization, my blog writing had found ears there. Yes, that for sure made me happy. Working at a news agency is a lot different than working with a newspaper. And the difference was intensified when one story written by me got published at over 30 websites on the net and at least 4 different newspapers in the country!
There were some ‘not-so-good’ experiences as well, which included the time when I had to pay a visit to the Police Head Quarters to attend a press conference and things had gone absurdly wrong. I still term it as a ‘not-so-good’ experience and not a ‘bad’ one, the reason being that, even some rejections give us an idea about how people work and how one needs to deal with certain category of people (namely, the Indian Police Officers) to bring the situation in one’s own favour. That was not good, but yes, that was an ‘experience’ and I did learn! ;)
The huge positivities shadowed over the few negativities and by the time I left the place, I had got highly attached with my ‘seniors’, emotionally. I was going to miss the place, I knew it already. But more than that I was proud of the fact that it had been my work that had made me gain recognition and the doors of the place had been opened for me for future opportunities.
Kavita Maam, Madhulika Maam, Azera Maam, Rahul Sir, Sumit Sir, Devirupa Maam, Pratibha Maam, Anjali Maam, Gaurav Sir, and everyone else who made me work and learn step-by-step with their immense patience, diligence and constant encouragement to do even better (something which I thought was not possible in the corporate world), if you are reading this, I want to say a big thank you to all of you. Thank you for all the memories. These are moments I would always cherish as those of my first ever work-place. Thanks a lot. (And even after a long term trial, I somehow am unable to remove the suffix of ‘Sir’ or ‘Maam’. And I am sure you wouldn’t mind. Hehe…)
And before ending, one last thing. The best thing that I feel happened to me at IANS was something that one of my seniors at college had told me was impossible- It was the fact that I had entered an organization and made my work appreciated and presence felt all by myself and not through any kind of a ‘source’. I am proud of it. :)
congratulations for such a "happening" year!!!all the best for a better year ahead!:)
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your wishes Vartika :)
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