Doing Internship is part of our curriculum but the big question was where do I do it?. I thought that Herald would be a good place, but, destiny had something else in store for me. I started my internship in Indian Express (IE) Pune from January 1 st.
My field supervisor was Sunanda Mehta Ma'm (Feature Editor of IE Pune) so it was obvious that I spent most of the time in features than reporting.
In my first week I didn't have much to do other than PD (Pune Diary) or briefs . No big assignment, not even a PC (Press conference) came my way. But opportunity came knocking with the weekly meeting of features. Sunanda ma'm asked me to participate in it and to suggest new ideas. The first idea that I put before ma'm was that of a "struggle story of an architect". "Do it for real page 3," ma'm said. This was my first initiative and I realized that I too could put my ideas forward.
I finished my story by Sunday morning and it has printed in Monday's "Real page 3". While reading my story in newspaper, I had feeling of accomplishment. (Later on that feeling transferred into despair as I saw that I didn't have a byline (No Byline: as it is said to be IE policy).
Chances and opportunities started flowing from features and as well as reporting. Interviews with Atif Aslam and Sukhbir (both well known singers) were some of the highlights during my internship.
In the meantime jumping in reporting section I did one news story of "Wadegaon Pumping station". Till that date my work was limited in "Pune Newsline". The big opportunity to cover an international conference on "Peace and terrorism" with Plaban Gupta (reporter from IE) gave me chance to write for Maharashtra page of IE. It was a good learning experience for me to attend lectures of eminent philosophers and writers from the all over world.
Attending PC of Prassana Holidays and covering "I 2IT Youth Festival" in Hinjewadi was fun. I got the chance to educate myself by covering "Vintage Car Rally" on January 26 th as all other reporters were on leave and I was the one and only person from the press to attend that car rally. The most exasperating thing was the organizer of that classic car rally Subhash Karmarkar. Undoubtedly he has knowledge of vintage cars, but more than that is has an inane capacity to irritate a person till he gets angry.
I had a similar experience earlier while attending a senior citizen's meeting in Salisbury Park. As it wasn't a very important event IE decided against sending a photographer. Mrs. Lal the secretary of that organization, brought an antique camera, which was taped up from all sides. She asked me to climb on a stool, which was already placed on a table. As I climbed that stool every senior 'child' (as they were already into their second childhood) started clapping for me. I was feeling like an elephant in the circus trying to balance on a tiny stool. (But at that time I was more worried about balancing myself so as not to fall and hurt myself literally and injure my ego, rather than her photo).
The outmost enhancing experience for me was the interview with Padmashri Mohan Ranade (Goa freedom fighter). At the age of 77 yrs he is still having those blazing words to inspire us. Though a recipient of Padmashri and many awards and honors he is humbleness personified, something, which made me ponder a lot.
As PMC (Pune Municipal Corporation) election was going on, I had the opportunity to write satirical briefs for IE. Interviews of models from Mumbai were something serious for me. After interviewing them I felt it is nothing but a PR gimmick so as to print their profile in IE.
"Indian Express Verve (youth festival) was another big task that I got as intern. I learnt that the term Rock has another meaning too other than rock and i.e. music. Enjoying and covering the youth festival was a very exciting experience for me. I learnt that if youth get together they can do wonders. I finished my internship by February 4th.
Internship in IE has given certain enrichment for me. Just observing veteran journalists and their power play inside and outside the office was amazing.
Apart from being our lecturer Sunanda ma'm and her working style, decision-making, acceptance for interns, minute suggestions helped us lot.
I think it will be injustice if I will not mention names of Laxmi Birajdar, Soniya Tripathi, Nadeem Inamdar, Shweta Desai & Mansi Saraf Joshi. They helped me lot and showed me how we should write, right from the first word, the does and donts in IE and on the field.
Internship in IE has given certain enrichment for me. Just observing veteran journalists and their power play inside and outside the office was amazing.
Apart from being our lecturer Sunanda ma'm and her working style, decision-making, acceptance for interns, minute suggestions helped us lot.
I think it will be injustice if I will not mention names of Laxmi Birajdar, Soniya Tripathi, Nadeem Inamdar, Shweta Desai & Mansi Saraf Joshi. They helped me lot and showed me how we should write, right from the first word, the does and donts in IE and on the field.
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