Priyanka Mukherjee
It was a few days ago, I went out on a winter morning to the DLF building in Newtown, full of energy and eager to learn something new. Fever FM’s office was on the 12th floor. It was there that the journey of Hindustan Times Bengal began. The date is 19th November 2019. I joined Hindustan Times Bengali Portal as staff number three. Then 5 years have passed!
I entered the world of journalism in 2014. After that I worked in television medium for 5 consecutive years. I was a bit conflicted about working on a digital platform. But the urge to learn something new and the opportunity to work in the ‘brand’ Hindustan Times, made me float in the tide of change.
I was used to working in a crowded news desk. The environment of the new office is quite different. Because there are two radio stations (Fever and Radio One) playing all the time. The work of writing news was not easy among them, but the colleagues of those two offices also took us as their own. My companions at the beginning of the tour were Ayan and Uddalkada. Ayan is a few years younger than me, very agile in his work, but very smart. It took him a long time to get this woman (yes, that’s what he affectionately calls me) from Priyankadi. On the other hand, I got a chance to learn a lot from Uddalokda’s experience in a few months. Overdue was, Uddalokdar’s hand cooking. Ayan and I used to share his lunch regularly. Like Ayan, Uddalokada also called me by another name – ‘Doctor’. Although the reason behind that name is beyond my understanding till date.
Our editor is Arghya Prasoon Roychowdhury. He is not someone’s ‘boss’, basically a grandfather or a brother. In my case, however, the equation is slightly different. We studied together at Calcutta University, so before colleagues, we were classmates. From the beginning I was responsible for the entertainment department. Within three months of the start of the office, the outbreak of corona in the whole world! Due to the epidemic, stop the office jump, start work from home!
Working from home was not easy during Corona. Panic, fear, death all around and in between sitting at home and working continuously. Back then our team was small, I was alone in entertainment. Everyone worked hard. Talking about the beginning of the office, not to mention a day 14th June 2020! The death of Sushant Singh Rajput shook the whole country as well as me. It was a day of personal mourning for me, a Sushant devotee. The next few months in my life was nothing but Sushant cases!
Our team members have grown over time. Everyone has arranged their work in their own way. Entertainment team Suman, Tulika, Ranita, Subhasmita all gave their best and supported me in every way. Gradually we have also been able to reach the people. The whole trip is a mix of good and bad, ups and downs. I joined the service as a retainer, from there I am an on-roll employee here today. My personal life also changed a lot while working at Hindustan Times Bengal. I am married, now I am seven months pregnant. My colleagues have helped me in every step of my personal life. I will go on maternity leave very soon, Hindustan Times Bangla I don’t know how much I could give, but I tried my best. I hope this visit will strengthen this bond in the future.
