Snippets from a media office

Of Wiry Bodies and Tennis Workouts

2010-03-14T12:04:00.000-07:00

Sumit Upadhyaya's secret is out. This Dow Jones guy's wiry frame had many wondering if he had given up on food. No more speculation. The secret is his weekly tennis workout. Sumit and a couple of friends use a nearby court to hone their tennis skills.

So do we have a Somdev Devvarman in the making? Not really, says Sumit. He doesn't seem to have any pro tennis ambitions but it's still working out for him on the fitness front.

After a few unpleasant gym experiences -- aches and sprains -- it seems this journo has found his calling. Now, if only he could inspire his heavier peers to follow suit.

Of Homemade Sundaes and Licking Lips

2010-03-14T11:47:00.000-07:00

It's not easy living up to Hot Chocolate Fudge standards. But methinks Swaty has mastered the art of this perfect sinful delight. Hmmmm, if only it didn't have so many calories.

Lest we have hordes of people rushing to Swaty's place and trying to get their hands on these scrumptious treats, let me remind you that icecream-eating sessions at her home are invite-only events.

Did I hear any groans out there?

Of Cute Toddlers and Nirupa Roy

2008-11-01T09:26:00.000-07:00

Swaty's little kid Dhaani is nearly a year old and the cute toddler is spending time going through newspapers and magazines.

Methinks it bodes well for her debut as a journalist in 2030. Swaty was happy too, not least when Dhaani pointed at a glossy photo of Sushmita Sen and said "Mama".

But the happy feeling didn't last very long.

This week, Dhaani found a photo of veteran actress Nirupa Roy and promptly said -- "Mama".

Now I wonder if Swaty keeps her newspapers locked up.

Of Newborn Babies and Wedding Bells

2007-12-23T13:19:00.000-08:00

You will always be reminded of a song by the Pakistani band Strings when you meet Swaty's little kid. Well, that's because the newborn is named Dhaani. Is it because hubby Manas is a Strings fan or did the little angel sport a greenish tint. We'll have to ask Swaty to find out.

In any case, Dhaani was born on the evening of December 14, a good ten days ahead of schedule. Looks like she didn't really want to share her birthday with Jesus.

Bride-to-be Sheelpa Kothari also missed Christmas by a few days, scheduling the wedding on December 29 in her hometown of Indore.

And pray what does the groom do? Well, Mihir works in a multinational bank. That makes the couple an interesting combo of sports journo and banker.

Of Neck Braces and Natural Icecreams

2007-12-06T12:56:00.000-08:00

You would have thought wearing a neck brace for chronic spondylitis would be literally a pain in the neck but Sukanya Mohapatra seems to be coping well.

The Oriya lass is raving about the "Natural" brand of icecream she tasted in Mumbai. And this is a big deal coming from someone who hates icecream.

Her only complaint - "Natural" icecream is only available in Mumbai, Pune, Nashik and Ahmedabad so there's no chance of her getting some in good ol' Delhi.

Wonder what is so great about this brand. Go to Mumbai and see.

Of Good Tidings and Wet Nappies

2007-11-11T22:22:00.000-08:00

Few things in life arrive right on time - like Misha's newborn daughter.

Sana breathed her first gulp of air on September 26 this year, on the expected date of delivery.

But I wonder what her name means.

Perhaps Misha can throw some light on this - after all she was named after a cute little Russian teddy bear.

Of Cynical Reporters and Beatific Smiles

2007-11-11T09:22:00.001-08:00

There are few rewards in journalism but the biggest one of them is when your work inspires society to do something.

The usually cynical Ambika Pendharkar was pleasantly surprised when a reader rang up her paper and spoke to her about a piece she had done about an NGO for mentally-handicapped children in Pune.

Turns out the benevolent gentleman had been inspired to help out at the NGO and do his bit for society.

Well, now if you spot one particularly beaming specimen with a beatific smile wandering the streets of Pune, it might just be Ambika.

Of Busy Crossings and Speeding Vehicles

2007-11-11T09:06:00.000-08:00

Last month, Chennai-based Sangeetha was walking back home one evening when a Tavera SUV backed into her at a busy crossing.

Sangeetha wasn't seriously injured but as she said later - the experience of lying down on the road with vehicles whizzing past a few inches from her wasn't a pleasant one.

The incident ended happily - the driver and some passers-by took Sangeetha to a nearby hospital where she was treated for minor bruises and discharged.

Of Tenants and Houses without Windows

2007-07-03T08:51:00.000-07:00

By Mriganka Dadwal

Prologue: They say a life sans books is like a room without windows

I could never have imagined the former but that the latter exists came quite as a shocker to me.

It all started the day my current landlady said those three dreaded words to me - U MUST VACATE!!!

Life has never been the same.

My quest for a house turned into urgency, urgency into desperation and desperation into do-or-die thou must.

It's been two months. By now I'm Google personified for all practical purposes. But still gotta meet accurate search results.

Not that I have not undergone the usual rigmarole of meeting a broker, negotiating the price, checking out endless buildings. Even stooped down to questioning local vendors, and asking chattering auntyjis if the locality can accommodate a harmless single occupant.

Not that I have not been shown something which has some semblance to a house.

I say some semblance to a house coz they all have four walls, one door blah blah - so architecturally speaking they qualify to be a house - but that's where the buck stops.

And that's where the phrase "a house sans windows" comes to my mind.

Architecturally it's a shortcoming, aesthetically a sin.

To build a house without windows.

To erect four walls without sparing a thought about who will occupy it.

More importantly will the occupant feel at home in the house???

Does this phenomenon limit itself to aesthetic felony on part of our society? Well, to imagine that a tenant is a tenant is a tenant ... nothing less, nothing more?

Or does it boil down deeper. Our tendency to shut out anything which might lighten our soul and brighten our life?

Are we becoming so accustomed to shutting out what comes naturally to us that we create barriers where we need to create channels?

Or is it plain simple that anything which shows us ourselves too clearly must be made a social taboo? Coz we are afraid that the reality won't be flattering?

I don't know the answer but I know one thing for sure and I speak figuratively as well. Someone has to put their foot down and let in the light. I refuse to put up in a house sans windows.

Of Meal Freebies and Dead Roaches

2007-04-12T02:36:00.000-07:00

Zee Business anchor Mriganka Dadwal is having a bit of luck these days. Turns out when she was out lunching at Pizza Hut, one of her pasta treats was served with a dead roach in it.

Mriganka didn't say a word. She just threw the waiter a frosty look and pointed to the baked pest. Minutes later, the dude reappeared and said the entire meal (pizza, garlic bread, iced pesticide) sans roach was complimentary. Pizza Hut made amends and Mriganka walked out with a free meal.

The same thing happened with Sunandita. There was no roach involved this time. But Pizza Hut did screw up her order and Sunandita got the full benefit.

Of Rare Sightings and Celebratory Treats

2007-04-12T02:29:00.000-07:00

Talking of roaches, Sumathi Chandrasekharan was in town for a few days. The blue-blooded Keralite was reminiscing about her experiences in Singapore, where she is currently studying.

The place is spotlessly clean and Sumathi kinda missed the mess back home in India. So she was understandably delighted when she spotted a roach in Singapore. She celebrated the rare sighting with a trip to her favourite Indian restaurant there. Obviously, Sumathi remains a desi at heart.

Of Orkutian Fans and Tech Gimmicks

2006-12-12T04:30:00.000-08:00

By Anonymous

A month or two ago, Parul Sharma found an Orkut fan who visited her profile every now and then. But this passive soul never wrote a scrap nor sent a teaser to her.

Parul, known as Miss No Malice for her humanitarian views, failed to guess who the mysterious fan was as his profile didn't give her any clues.

Flummoxed at reading this stranger's name in the list of visitors to her Orkut profile, the sassy Delhiite sought advice from a friend who had gone through a similar experience. This tech-savvy correspondent asked Parul to make some changes in her profile. And Voila! Henceforth the alien name never appeared in her visitors' list.

Analysis by our research bureau showed that after Parul made those changes, the number of her fans doubled and she got almost a hundred scraps praising her newly uploaded photo album.

Of Holidays and Nature's Oxymoron

2006-11-13T14:10:00.000-08:00

Foreign Desk in-charge Vandana Ramnani recently took a well-deserved break from her usual work routine. She travelled via Uttarkashi to a little-known tourist spot called Raithal, 182 km from the holy city of Rishikesh.

And from what she had to say about the "awesome" trip, we can only imagine how fulfilling Vandana's tryst with Nature was.

The river Bhagirathi is so very pure and beautiful and as you come down and see the Tehri dam it gives you the sense of danger ahead. What if it would break. I'll call it nature's oxymoron. On the one hand you have beauty and on the other the sense of destruction which may befall... the magnitude of destruction.

Of Glad Tidings and Good Wishes

2006-11-13T13:26:00.000-08:00

It's the time to make merry - the sheer number of weddings, infants and new jobs over the past few months has been mind-boggling.

Legal eagle Krishnadas Rajagopal tied the knot with The Hindu lass Anima Balakrishnan. Another legal eagle R Balaji has also reportedly taken the plunge into married life. Setuka Mahajan will do so with a Bangalore-based engineer early next month. Also waiting in line are Hanit Kaur and Ratul Ray Chaudhuri. And I suppose you already know about Manash Pratim Bhuyan.

There were resignations galore too. Shambhu Jha took off for Aajtak. Sovi Vidyadharan found greener pastures in NDTV while Ratul did so in Reuters, Bangalore. Liji Ravindran's taken time off for research even as Prasant Kumar Sahoo and Shohini tried their luck in the pink papers. Ashutosh Joshi left for Business Standard, Mumbai.

On the plus side, there are plenty of interesting newbies too - including News Editor Rezaul Laskar's wife who joined the Desk recently. And the interesting case of Sumit Upadhyaya who gave up life as a reporter for the rewards of the Business Desk. And of course all our friends who were enjoying themselves abroad - Achinta Borah is back from France while Manoj C G and Sukanya Mohapatra just returned from assignments in Singapore.

And as for the storks who came visiting, it seems girls were more in demand this time around. Alok Sharma was blessed with a daughter (Jhanvi), Kiran with P... (she's reportedly mulling over names beginning with P) and Richa with ??? (Yep, her little one hasn't been named yet) And we hear Jitesh Wadhawan's infant son Kabir is looking more and more like him. So, don't be too surprised if he grows up to be a journalist.

Anyhow, we offer everyone (and others whose names were inadvertently missed) our heartiest congratulations.

Update 1 Parul Sharma's gone right ahead and joined The Hindu. And as for Kiran's newborn - the two-month old has been named Paridhi

Of Good Samaritans and Mobile Phones

2006-11-13T12:44:00.000-08:00

Chandigarh damsel Misha Pillai has quite a reputation of being a Good Samaritan. But even Misha was taken aback by what two youths in this bustling Punjabi metropoils did for her.

Our story begins with hubby Jasbir presenting Misha with a swanky new mobile phone. On November 3, Misha was commuting to office in a rickshaw - yapping away to glory to her dear husband.

Suddenly, two guys on a motorcycle slowed down near the rickshaw, snatched the phone from her and zipped away leaving behind a tearful and shocked Misha. Two other youths (also on a bike) witnessed the incident and sped off in pursuit.

As for Misha, she informed the police but was told there was little hope of getting it back since she could not provide any details on the phone-snatchers.

Back at her office, she found two youths waiting for her. Wonder of wonders, they had her phone with them. It turned out that the youths had followed the snatchers to another city, had an altercation (one of them sported a black eye), got the handset back and searched the phone's contact list to get in touch with Misha.

Well, Misha dubbed them Good Samaritans but we prefer to stick to this 20th-century idiom - What goes around comes around.

Of the TV Journo and the Sea

2006-11-13T12:10:00.000-08:00

Zee Business anchor Mriganka Dadwal got her first glimpse of the sea recently. It seems Miss Dadwal was covering a fashion shoot in Pondicherry and was returning to her quarters when she spied the blue waters of the Bay of Bengal. She screamed so loudly that the driver of the car is said to have lost his hearing.

Anyhow, the poor guy immediately applied the brakes and watched as Miss Dadwal ran down to the water's edge and started splashing around in obvious delight. Well, we all know how much fun being on the beach is. After all, it was Mriganka's first tryst with the sea. We wish her many more such wondrous experiences.

Of Humble Pie and Mention Nots

2006-10-12T17:27:00.000-07:00

The 2006 Osian's Cinefan film festival had drawn to a close with the screening of the Iranian film Offside and anchor Rajit Kapoor heaved a sigh of relief. As he left the stage, he spotted a woman running towards him with notepad in hand.

"Ah! A journalist," Kapoor smiled and awaited her arrival, rehearsing a few stock quotes for reproduction in the next day's newspaper.

"Excuse me! Can you tell me where the film's scriptwriter is?" came the breathless query from the reporter.

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His face ashen but hiding all traces of emotion, the star of Byomkesh Bakshi and The Making of the Mahatma pointed into the crowd. "There he is!" he mouthed in despair.

"Thanks!" said Sheelpa Kothari - hurrying away in her quest for a tete-a-tete with the writer of Offside.

"Mention not," replied Kapoor in a voice barely audible to bystanders, as he thumped his chest with a clenched fist - all prospects of an interview fading away into oblivion.

Of Mumbai blasts and narrow escapes

2006-10-10T07:25:00.000-07:00

The Indian Express has been regularly carrying accounts of people who lost their lives in the recent Mumbai blasts. But what of our Mumbai-based colleagues who regularly travel by the local trains? Fortunately, not one of them was on the ill-fated trains. But it was a narrow escape for many. Here in their own words, our friends recount the evening of July 11, 2006.

Ashutosh Joshi

We were in the office on Terror Tuesday. I was supposed to attend an Air India press conference that evening. But I refused to do so. The person who went for it witnessed the blast at Mahim station. He was at the platform when the blast took place. Thankfully he did not suffer any injury.

Ambika Pendharkar

Was at home in Pune during the blasts. Sangeetha called me up when she heard the news on TV. We were desperately trying to locate a cousin in Mumbai who didn't reach home on time and could not be contacted on mobile. As for Zeeshan, he escaped death by a whisker. He had actually got down at one of the affected stations at 6.15 pm.

Kapil Kelkar

I was in the office and had just returned from the High Court. We first heard about the blasts when one of our clerks called from Mira Road station to tell us that there had been a explosion in the compartment next to the one he was travelling in. All the blasts happened on the route I use daily.

Shilpa Jamkhandikar

I was in office doing another mundane story when the blasts happened. Our Regional Manager Subimal Choudhary got a call from one of our staffers saying there was an "accident" in his train at Mira Road and he could see dead bodies everywhere. We decided to run a flash. Just as I was transmitting the story came another call from another staffer about another blast. After that it was mayhem. I don't remember much except stories, images on TV and numbness.

Abhijeet Kulkarni

I was having tea at the corner of my office. It is just a road away from the Mahim railway station. My colleague and I rushed there when we heard the blast.

Ashish Agashe

I was in the Delhi office then - looking at the ticker and the news channels as the number of dead (and the blasts) was shooting up. My mobile battery dried up due to unsuccessful attempts at reaching my dear ones back home in Mumbai.

Several months have passed since the fateful blasts. But life goes on for our colleagues and they continue travelling by the local trains. Ambika tells us that Zeeshan reported extensively on the recent Malegaon blasts and his work was much appreciated. In fact, he is now part of the HT bureau for Nashik and nearby areas.

As for Ambika herself, she gave up trains for good and switched to zipping around Pune streets in her brand new silver Honda Activa. To be honest, she did crash into an innocent schoolboy who wandered into her path but the kid escaped with minor bruises. Ambika stopped venturing out on the roads for a few days after the incident but it didn't deter her from driving. We are happy to report that the Maharashtrian lass and her Activa are now back on the streets of Pune.

Of Delayed Posts and New Podcasts

2006-10-04T10:26:00.000-07:00

Yes, its been ages since this blog was updated but I promise to put up lots of new stuff by the end of this month. Until then, I am busy converting the archives into podcast format.

Click PLAY to listen to the latest podcast

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Subscribe to the On The Job podcast here

Of Police Vans and Shaken Reporters

2006-07-10T08:27:00.000-07:00

Dharna reporting can be quite a hair-raising experience. And David Lalmalsawma would certainly agree.

The dude was covering a Narmada Bachao Andolan protest march in the national capital when the cops arrived and started bundling agitators into the police van. Medha Patkar went in first followed by a couple of her supporters and then it was poor David's turn.

Paying no heed to the emphatic declaration that he was a mediaperson and not interested in getting arrested for the noble cause, one policeman pushed David into the van.

Things might have gotten worse but at this point our dude flashed his office I-card and thrust it into the cop's face. The 'Press' tag worked and the officer let David go.

The police van left with Patkar, supporters and all - leaving behind one-hell-of-a-shaken reporter.

Of Interrupted Naps and Media Guys

2006-07-04T12:46:00.000-07:00

The Rahul Mahajan case was a nightmare for Abgeoth Varghese. What with the media frenzy at Apollo, our guy spent several exhausting days outside the hospital on the vigil for news about the Junior Mahajan's health.

One fine day, the overworked reporter succumbed to sleep on a comfy bench outside the hospital. And was woken up by a hospital staffer -

"Hey, this is not the place to sleep. Let the media guys do their work here. You go find some other place to sleep"

Poor Abgeoth had to fish out his office I-card to convince the Apollo staffer he wasn't a tramp.

And what of the adage that birds of a flock stick together. Instead of sympathising with Abgeoth, the other media guys stood there suppressing giggles. Can't blame them either - the endless hours spent waiting for a quote must have been punishment enough.

Of Old Colleagues with New TV Shows

2006-07-01T00:58:00.000-07:00

After successfully completing over 300 episodes of the hit series Ab Aayega Mazaa, Zee Business anchor Mriganka Dadwal has been rewarded with a prime time slot.

The lifestyle correspondent is certainly going places and we wonder if she even remembers her former colleagues. Especially now that she's been seen with some top-notch celebrities. But we are not at liberty to reveal more. Don't worry Mrigs, our lips are sealed.

In the meantime, you can catch the IIT Kanpur lass unwind with the glitterati on Metro Masala at 8.30 pm on weekdays and Aisa Bhi Hota Hai at 2 pm on Sundays.

Of Wild Horses and Orissa Fans

2006-06-23T19:24:00.000-07:00

Nothing but wild horses could drag Sukanya Mohapatra out of Dilli Haat on Orissa Day.

The Bhubaneswar lass was mesmerised by all things Orissan. Be it palm leaf and tassar paintings, stone and wood carvings, handloom products, sand sculptures or the Pattachitra painting technique, Sukanya spent the better part of a day marvelling at products and cuisines from her home state.

And when the Gotipua dancers came out in traditional finery amid the ubiquitous pipli lanterns, Sukanya stared at them as if she longed to join them on stage. But she didn't. Perhaps it was the imposing presence of Cabinet minister Renuka Choudhary that deterred her. No matter, there's always next year.

Of Malaika Arora and Licence Trouble

2006-06-21T00:17:00.000-07:00

It's not that Malaika Arora isn't a gorgeous babe and Indian men don't drool over her. But apni Malvika still hates being called by that moniker. And pray, what is the reason for this confusion?

Apparently, Malvika's driving licence mentions her name wrongly as Malaika - an error she hasn't been able to rectify despite several trips to the local traffic office.

And she's not amused by people referring to her as Malaika. Try it and see - at your own risk, of course.

Of Impromptu Alumni Meets and Seekh Kebabs

2006-06-17T04:13:00.000-07:00

Debjit's daughter's annaprasadam ceremony in June turned out to be a sort of alumni meet.

Sure enough his relatives and family friends outnumbered us but it was a pleasure bumping into our former colleagues - Vandana Lalchandani, Mayank Bhardwaj and K Dinkar. Our office was represented by Aparna Nair, Malvika Bhatnagar and yours truly.

We reminisced over old times while munching on chicken legs and seekh kebabs at the impressive Flying Club near Safdarjung airport.

Sreejoni, in whose honour the entire ceremony had been organised, looked a trifle uncomfortable at being subjected to such torture.

But the veritable spread of dishes on the buffet table soon drew everybody's attention. And what a feast it was. We do hope Debjit invites us for his daughter's first birthday.

Of Wannabe Cooks and Expert Chefs

2006-06-15T08:43:00.000-07:00

Wondering what Setuka Mahajan is up to these days? We'll let you in on a secret. She's learning how to cook. Not to find her way to a man's heart or impress prospective in-laws. She just wants to cook for herself.

So whenever she's free, Setuka runs off to her masi's place for practical lessons on whipping up lunch. The tips come in really handy when she's alone at home and hungry to boot.

And now that we have exposed her little secret, please feel free to blackmail her into cooking something for you.

Also ruling the cookery sweepstakes is Neha Bhatnagar who reportedly cooks the most delicious food on the planet. Colleagues swear by her sabzi and wait with bated breath for her to reveal her 'tiffin' delights.

Of Deceptive Smiles and Miming Skills

2006-06-08T06:57:00.000-07:00

Beware of Sarvottam. People who think he's just a sweet, innocent guy with a friendly smile are making a big mistake.

Behind that grin lurks a talented mime artist who can drive people crazy with his antics.

In fact, the monotony of back-to-back classes at IIMC Dhenkanal had been broken by impromptu mime performances by Sarvottam.

A special favourite of his was the story of a student who fails his exams and commits suicide. Sources reveal there was nary a dry eye in the audience by the time Sarvottam wrapped up his Oscar-winning rendition.

Well, we think our office also needs some mime artists to pep things up and Sarvottam would be perfect to play the harried journalist.

Of Bangalore Trips and Driving with Devraj

2006-06-04T12:41:00.000-07:00

Swaty will never go the Driving Miss Daisy way. The Bihari lass has just returned from a family trip to Bangalore, where she spent time learning to drive.

For five days, Swaty honed her skills on the road, taking help from a certain Mr Devraj, who we are told made her sing 'We shall overcome' every time they set out.

Devraj was eager to show Swaty the sights of the city and encouraged her to forget the clutch and enjoy her surroundings. So much so that Swaty turned the steering wheel left and right and then left again before realising Devraj had made her scoop out a perfect 8 on the sand track.

Even hubby Manas says he's impressed by Swaty's driving skills. And we think Devraj deserves a Hot Chocolate Fudge. Wotsay?

Of Secret Weddings and Angry Colleagues

2006-06-01T00:18:00.000-07:00

We never knew Prashant would do the vanishing act and come back to office a married man.

His wedding to Bhagyalakshmi in Bhubaneswar last month was an event few in New Delhi were aware of.

The Banking Correspondent had no explanation to offer except the very lame one that he didn't have enough time to inform his colleagues.

But we decided to give Prashant the benefit of doubt and listened attentively to his sob story.

According to the Orissa dude, it was so hot in the state capital that he got boils on the inside of his lips, which he says accounts for his silence on D-day. We, however, suspect Prashant was struck dumb by his bride's beauty.

His ordeal was made tougher still because of a community tradition that the bride and groom should not eat anything on the wedding day. Which meant Prashant, and of course Bhagyalakshmi, had to survive on water.

The marriage itself was pretty low-profile. Prashant says it would have been attended by more of our office chaps in Bhubaneswar had not the Budhia controversy chosen to rear its ugly head just as Prashant was getting hitched.

And what does Bhagyalakshmi do? Prashant is loath to give any details but he did let loose this info - She is doing her Masters in Sociology.

Well, although we haven't actually forgiven Prashant for not telling us in advance, we wish the newly-wed couple the very best for their life ahead.

Of Hindi Guides and Visible Hickeys

2006-05-16T12:40:00.000-07:00

For people hailing from the North East, adapting to life in the Hindi belt is no easy task. And David Lalmalsawma is no exception.

The trauma of tackling invective-spewing bus conductors and paan-chewing vegetable vendors has sent him rushing to a Hindi-speaking guide for help.

Yes, David carries around this book with him wherever he goes. He's assiduously learning the North Indian tongue and it has already started showing results.

TV Monitoring sessions, usually fraught with nondescript monologues of political bigwigs like Lalu, no longer give him nightmares.

And if you spot a hickey - that mark of amorous kissing - on his neck, don't you dare ask him anything. Coz it's likely to make him blush from head to toe.

Of Advertising Dudes and Umbrella Pics

2006-05-14T06:52:00.000-07:00

We found it surprising that Setuka Mahajan was unfazed by "uncle" Pramod's 12-day battle for life at Mumbai's Hinduja hospital, but was devastated by the untimely death of the dude who created the Hutch You and I ad.

Indeed, Setuka is an ardent fan of stalwarts in the field of advertising. But what of her recent 'Page 3' appearance in The Hindu?

It seems an enterprising photojournalist captured on his lens the image of Miss Mahajan wielding an umbrella to protect herself from the summer sun. And it was good publicity for us too, considering the office notepad was clearly visible in Setuka's hands.

Of Bird Flu and London Cooking

2006-05-06T03:52:00.000-07:00

Debjit da is back from his month-long official stay in London and unlikely his previous sojourns in the UK, the Bengali babu hasn't returned with any snazzy electronic gadgets.

"Arre, London is very expensive, baba," he says.

And with Britain being in the throes of a bird flu scare, Debjit also had to forgo his favourite chicken dishes. Instead, he and his two Sardarji housemates shared kitchen duties to churn out rajma-chawal day in, day out.

No wonder Debjit is delighted to be back in India killing two birds with a single stone - enjoy wifey Ruma's cooking and spend more time with baby daughter Sreejoni, who by the way has just completed six months on planet Earth.

Of New Dudes in Our Office

2006-05-02T03:48:00.000-07:00

Meet ex-IANS dude Rezaul H Laskar. The man from Shillong is here to take over the reins of the domestic news desk. This Chevening scholar has 16 years of experience as a scribe and took to our style like a fish to water.

Laskar has spent more than five years each in The Asian Age and IANS. And he put in an impressive performance on his very first day here - making the leads on the Doda and Udhampur massacres.

Of Office Assignments and Carabao Buffaloes

2006-04-29T04:05:00.000-07:00

It's been raining assignments the last month or so. While Rituparna flew down to freezing Ladakh to hobnob with the Army guys there, Annie was in Bangalore to report on a hospital for the mentally impaired.

Sumit barely got out of the plane for a dekko at the upcoming Hyderabad airport while Prashant chose to attend the ADB conference in Manila where - believe it or not - he milked a carabao buffalo.

In the new batch, David travelled to the dunes of Thar for a CSIF meet, Ritu Tripathi made it to the upper reaches of Uttaranchal for the Garhwal regiment's Raising Day celebrations and newbie trainee Krishna Kumar got the experience of his lifetime bidding farewell to MiG-25 spy planes in Bareilly.

Of Simple Diets and Foodie Pleasures

2006-04-27T13:00:00.000-07:00

In contrast to her otherwise feisty self, Parul Sharma is a very boring person when it comes to food. 'Give me dal-roti and I am happy' is her constant refrain.

Not for her the sinful temptations of a Hot Chocolate Fudge or other epicurean delights.

Although we doubt her fussiness has anything to do with a strict diet (considering she's thin as a rake), we urge Parul to let her palate do the talking and experience the pleasures of being a foodie.

Of Goan Holidays and Non-Veg Dishes

2006-04-19T12:19:00.000-07:00

Swaty Prakash is just back from her sizzling Goa trip which included among other delights the thrills of parasailing, jet-skiing and the usual rounds of getting suntanned on India's most famous beaches.

Swaty admits that the trip brought out the carnivore in her - as she dug into generous helpings of squid, prawn, fish, chicken and the works. And lobster? Well, it was overpriced so the Bihari lass gave it a miss.

We didn't dare ask her how many bottles of feni she downed with hubby Manas but the couple obviously lived life to its fullest.

And what's more! Delhi welcomed Swaty back with a new job. She's just been taken in by the Prentice Hall of India to take care of their editing department and liaise with authors.

Of Pune Dailies and New Paths

2006-04-18T12:32:00.000-07:00

Guess who else is treading new paths? Maharashtrian damsel Ambika Pendharkar has joined Pune Herald, an English publication under the Sakal group.

And what made her leave the hallowed portals of the Times of India in Mumbai? Apparently TOI was not giving Ambika any mainstream reporting opportunities which made her try her luck elsewhere.

Of Dravidian Maidens and Icecream Bans

2006-04-14T12:35:00.000-07:00

Icecream vendors in and around Connaught Place are up in arms after Aparna Nair announced her decision never to ever eat icecreams again.

And before you clutch your heart and spill your morning cuppa, let me tell you the sacrifice doesn't stem from an innate desire to torture herself.

The Dravidian maiden just feels she's been having one too many of the sugary delights. We appeal to Ms Nair to consider the plight of the poor vendors and reconsider her decision.

Of the Yo Man who got his Quick Fix

2006-04-10T00:31:00.000-07:00

(This article on Vijay Thapa was submitted by a colleague and has been published on condition of anonymity)

With porcupine hair and a 'yo man' attitude that could give Fido Dido a run for his money, this senor's repertoire of stories never seems to end.

Even boring shifts can perk up in the company of our man from Meerut.

Perpetually "harrassed, harangued and hassled," each day is a racy thriller, a whodunit or a 'laugh until you cry' for this bachelor with the curiously 'propah' British accent.

And his love affair with the office telephone... Be it conducting deals for raising money to buy a house, vigorously hunting for a buyer for his rifle, carrying out mega arguments with his mother - everything under the sun is done with a little help from Alexander Graham Bell.

The debonair dude recently had a close encounter with - Glue!

On Holi, our man was in the midst of spring cleaning when he discovered that his index finger refused to part company with his middle finger.

Contrary to his belief, Vijay Thapa found that Feviquick or Superstick or some other adhesive he was working with was indeed capable of sticking his digits together.

When the Doubting Thomas in him was convinced of his stuck state, he endeavoured to undo the damage.

First he tried kerosene. He dips his hand in the fuel but to no avail. The metacarpals of his hand refuse to give up. He pours ether, the liguid used to clean tape-recorder heads, and tries to bring his hand near a flame. Nothing!

It's only after his panic level reached a new high, that Thapa hit upon the solution - Brasso, which finally does the trick and disentangles his fingers.

And what about the time he turned up two hours late for office. Thapa says he forgot to refill his bike's fuel tank and was stranded midway on the flyover leading to Noida. Our hero was resigned to pushing his machine over a long long way when suddenly a scooterist offers him a can of petrol.

Whoa! A true good samaritan there. Music for the senor's ears who couldn't believe his luck. Man and machine soon found themselves zooming off to office where Thapa waxed eloqent on the inherent goodness of human beings.

Of Canteen Boys and Flashbacks

2006-03-17T16:17:00.000-08:00

Many have wondered why Vinod is so good to the canteen boys. Unlike other colleagues, this Mallu dude never berates them or cribs about their service. Well, the mystery may have been solved.

It turns out that eons ago, Vinod's father owned two restaurants in God's own country (Kerala) and our dear Foreign Affairs expert used to occasionally serve at tables there.

Vinod had to put up with some ill-tempered patrons who revelled in finding fault, blissfully unaware that he was the son of the proprietor.

That experience was to remain with him all his life and taught him a valuable lesson - People who serve us in canteens are humans too, Treat them with respect.

Of Classicial Vocalists and Radio Sets

2006-03-15T16:13:00.000-08:00

Not many know that Sumathi Chandrasekharan is an accomplished classical vocalist.

She hasn't had her arangettam - the first public performance - despite her guru's protestations because the diva feels she isn't ready for it.

Don't ask Sumathi to belt out some forgettable Bollywood ditty, the Mallu damsel rather prefers the sublime strains of Mahesh Dattani's Morning Raga.

Believe it or not, she even has Hindustani classical music on preset 1 on her World Space satellite radio set.

Of Marriage Pics and Pesky Photographers

2006-03-14T01:15:00.000-08:00

Giving in to her mother's demands, Hanit Kaur finally agreed to get some glossy pics clicked for prospective Punjabi grooms.

But she had a run-in with the photographer who kept insisting she pose next to a pillar a la Bollywood sirens.

Hanit lost her temper and ticked him off proper. Fortunately for the photographer, matters did not take a serious turn and the Punjabi maiden later agreed to let her hair down (literally) for the photo-shoot.

Of Film Freaks and Suspicious Knives

2006-03-11T09:07:00.000-08:00

Talk about being a film freak. Sunandita holds the unenviable distinction of having watched at least 30 movies in one week - during the Kolkata Film festival.

The Bong lass, who also holds a certificate in film appreciation, was recently "apprehended" with a pen-knife at PVR Plaza.

Despite her plea that "it was all a mistake" and she "was certainly not a terrorist," the manager was not convinced and Sunandita had to deposit her beloved pen-knife with authorities. What's more, she even had to go through the rigmarole of signing an undertaking just to get it back.

And what has Sunandita learned from the incident? She now meticulously checks her handbag for any weapons of mass destruction before venturing out on a film-watching spree.

Of Stolen Jewels and Tasty Parathas

2006-03-09T22:04:00.000-08:00

Swaty Prakash didn't have a memorable trip to Patna after all. She and hubby Manas came back to find their Shipra Sun City flat burgled and jewellery worth 25,000 bucks missing.

But there was still a ray of sunshine. In his hurry, the burglar who rifled through their apartment failed to notice a separate packet kept behind the stolen stuff. And thus Swaty managed to salvage some jewellery and cash.

To hide her heavy heart, the Bihari dame is now practising her paratha making skills and forcing her creations down unwilling throats.

However, reports from the scene of the crime revealed that people partaking of her parathas were seen licking their lips and asking for second helpings.

Of TV Journos and Allegations

2006-03-08T06:10:00.000-08:00

Now, you can get even more of Mriganka Dadwal. The IIT damsel recently became sole anchor for her TV show on Wednesday evenings.

Catch her showcasing the latest gizmos and accessories on Ab Ayega Mazaa which airs at 5.30 pm on Zee Business.

By the way, Mrigs has declared that this blog has degenerated to the level of the Page 3 supplement in a national daily.

Well, we beg to differ and if the Kanpur lass continues to compare us to that infernal publication, we promise to see her in court.

Of Holi and Eggless Escapades

2006-03-06T15:49:00.000-08:00

Tomojit Bhattacharjee had quite an unholy introduction to the festival of Holi in the capital city. While waiting at the office bus stop, the Bengali lad was the target of hooligans seated in a Honda Accord.

The unruly youths, possibly under the influence of bhang, threw an egg at him. Fortunately, their aim was rather lame and the missile hit an innocent bystander squarely on the forehead.

We know you won't be interested in whether the poor guy used Surf Excel to remove the stains but Tomojit is certainly counting his blessings for an eggless escape.

Of Perfect Stories and Journos

2006-03-05T15:55:00.000-08:00

Recently, the office canteen witnessed a unique event. Dining at the same table were Parul Sharma and Sukanya Mohapatra - the only two journalists whose work has been praised by our ombudsman editor Bhaskar Menon.

While a story edited by Sukanya last year was lauded as the perfect example of a news story, Parul was feted recently for her take on the lives of Delhi's sex workers.

And don't you dare suggest this is no big deal. After all, Menon has found only two exemplary stories worth mentioning after a year of pointing out mistakes in our files.

Of Picks From the Archives

2006-02-05T11:06:00.000-08:00

Here's a selection from our Jan 2005 Archives.
Ever wonder why in the mornings, newspapers in the 'newspaper room' appear crumpled and smell like they have spent the night with a tramp on 'Mud' Island. Read on

Of Newbie Trainees and False Alarms

2006-02-04T22:56:00.000-08:00

You are dead wrong if you thought only we churned out gaffes day in, day out.

A little birdie told us of this incident that happened in the Hindi section recently. A newbie trainee was translating a story about a case wherein the victim raised an alarm when a man attempted to rape her.

Unfortunately, what came out was something like this -

'The woman pressed the alarm clock when the man tried to rape her.'

Talk about time trouble.

Of Forgotten Friends and Birthdays Remembered

2006-01-28T23:01:00.000-08:00

We once had a Mallu colleague by the name of Salu,
Whither he vanished, we still haven't a clue,
Last heard, the dude was somewhere in the UK,
Anyways, on your birthday, we remember you.

Indeed, we remembered you on your birthday today. We have no idea if you are still reading our news updates. Our phone calls and emails have gone unrequited. But Salu T J, wherever you are, we wish you all the very best.

Of Amoebiasis and Rang De Basanti

2006-01-12T23:46:00.000-08:00

BBC gal Upasana Bhat is going great guns. With four bylines already, the Kashmiri lass is creating waves with her stories - the latest being the Rang de Basanti controversy.

She's just watched the Aamir Khan-starrer and found the denouement a tad too violent for her liking.

On the personal front, Upasana is recovering from a bout of amoebiasis. Hey UB, we wish you a rocking February.

Of River Rafting and Mount Everest

2006-01-09T11:41:00.000-08:00

It is difficult to imagine Aparna Nair with safety harness et al perched precariously on a clifftop.

Well, she hasn't climbed Mount Everest yet but would love to do so if she got the chance. Aparna professes a love for trekking and in her own words has "done quite a lot of it".

And she's really jealous her younger brother is presently in Rishikesh having a go at river-rafting. Her lifetime ambition - trekking all the way to Kailash Mansoravar.

Of Secret Flings and Refused Assignments

2006-01-08T11:48:00.000-08:00

Thud! That was the sound of six people hitting the ground in a dead faint. Shemin Joy had just refused an assignment. 'I am a bit busy today' was the excuse.

Later, the 'Breaking News' guy was spotted in a restaurant coochie-cooing with a girl.

Well, Shemin is not in Delhi right now. But when he comes back from Kerala, you better be prepared for the worst.

Of Bouncy Hair and Hairline Fractures

2006-01-06T05:59:00.000-08:00

Swaty Prakash, whose haemoglobin count had gone for a toss just a few months back, has resigned from Hindustan Times and is presently nursing a hairline fracture in hometown Patna.

Don't fret, Swaty says she will be back in apna Dilli by February.

Meanwhile, reports of the Bihari lass being spotted in the office are absolutely baseless. The truth is one of our new trainees is the spitting image of Swaty - with bouncy hair and disarming smile to boot.

Wotsay Swaty - wanna come and meet your doppelganger?

Of Holidaying Mallus and God's Own Country

2006-01-04T14:20:00.000-08:00

Remember how Mallus stick together? Well, they also seem to holiday together.

December saw a mass exodus of office Keralites wending their way to God's own country. While yours truly was holidaying in Thrissur and Thiruvananthapuram, Annie Samson was sharing the Christmas spirit in Kochi.

Once his tsunami assignment in Tamil Nadu was over, Sovi Vidyadharan also made a beeline for Kollam to snatch some precious moments with his family.

And don't forget The Hindu girl Anima Balakrishnan, who left the confines of Coimbatore to catch up on what's hot back home in Kozhikode.

Aparna Nair was also in south India, although for different reasons. What with hubby Ananth recovering from hepatitis, she spent most of the month in a Chennai hospital. Sangeeta was there too, albeit busy setting up house after her recent
transfer to the city.

The only exception - Shemin Joy - who left for Kerala earlier this month and will only be back in Delhi on February 7.

Of Globetrotting Scribes and Lankan Conferences

2005-12-30T13:41:00.000-08:00

Globetrotting is no longer a strange word for our colleagues.

Business dude Sumit Upadhyay was in Colombo in December for a workshop and another one in Kathmandu some months ago.

Interestingly, Bengali maiden Rituparna Bhowmick was also in the Sri Lankan capital at the same time - but for the USAid conference on 'Violence Against Women'.

Wondering who will leave Indian shores next? Keep watching this space.

Of Zee ji and his Hotel Story

2005-12-15T11:40:00.000-08:00

Wondering what Zeeshan Sheikh has been up to all this while?

Well, the Mumbai dude has just returned home after a junket in Rajasthan. Things are also looking up on the professional front with the Indian Express prominently displaying his 3-column byline story on the booming hotel business in India's financial capital. Way to go - Zee ji!

Of Shivika and Journalism of Courage

2005-12-14T11:19:00.000-08:00

Mind you, Shivika Kapur (or should I say Sood?) is no longer a homemaker. The Punjabi damsel has left the comfort of her posh flat in Colaba to fend for herself in the big, bad world of Mumbai.

She's just joined a publication under the aegis of the Indian Express and may also be reporting for it. Best of Luck Shivika - we're waiting for some real journalism of courage.

Of Bawling Babies and Graveyard Shifts

2005-12-05T20:49:00.000-08:00

Bengali babu Debjit Chakraborty is just back from Kolkata after spending time with wifey Ruma and newbie daughter Sreejoni.

The young one reportedly gave Deb dada a harrowing time with regular graveyard shifts at home.

And we thought we at the office were the only ones who hated these late night shifts.

Of Bomb Blasts and Kid Reporters

2005-11-28T10:43:00.000-08:00

Remember this year's bomb blasts in Delhi? The office was in a hubbub that unforgettable evening with various reporters calling in with news on the explosions.

How could the Editor's young son be left behind? The baby babbler frantically called up his father to give him this valuable piece of information

"Papa! Aajtak mein Breaking News hain ki Maharani Bagh mein koi bomb blast nahin."

Well, this is one kid with the right nose for news.

Of Shaggy Beards and Warm Welcomes

2005-11-20T10:38:00.000-08:00

When Abgeoth Varghese came to Delhi to take up his traineeship here, he wasn't expecting such a warm welcome.

The Mallu lad was quite taken aback when police came calling at his PG residence.

Apparently, the shaggy beard Abgeoth was rearing hadn't quite created the right impression. Well, matters were soon sorted out and the men in khaki left convinced Aby was no militant.

Is it a coincidence he's all cleanshaven now? We certainly don't think so.

Of Navy Brides and Colaba Condos

2005-11-15T03:20:00.000-08:00

Yes, Shivika is living life as it ought to be lived - to the fullest.

As the newly-arrived bride, Shivika is the cynosure of all eyes in Navy circles and the star attraction at Mumbai cliques.

With husband Amit, the former journo damsel now resides in a 10th floor flat of a plush condo at Colaba which overlooks the sea.

Shivika spends her mornings admiring the beautiful view from her windows - gazing for a minute or two at the INS Viraat 'parked' in her 'backyard'.

In fact, her first engagement in the financial capital of India was a social do onboard the INS Trishul where the doe-eyed beauty was feted - and Shivika admits she loved every minute of it.

Shivika has even fraternised with the defence wives' club here and is making her mark too. But she says she's really missing her friends here.

We're missing you too, Shivika - and we're glad you are having the time of your life. Enjoy.

Of Thai Brides and Indian Maids

2005-11-05T10:17:00.000-08:00

Not many know of the Thai connection in Sumit's life. Turns out the Haryanvi lad's elder brother - a thriving IT professional in Bangkok - married a Thai citizen three years ago.

Circa 2005 - the Thai couple is visiting Delhi and Sumit's taking a few days off to show them around and also accompany them to the family's ancestral house in the vicinity of Chandigarh.

Sumit's parents had been dead against the marriage but true love and Kanjana (yes, that's this practising Buddhist's name) prevailed.

This time around, Sumit's toddler niece would also be visiting India and our colleague will finally get someone to 'Uncle' him around.

When we asked Sumit whether he would be following in his brother's footsteps, we were rewarded with a somewhat obscure reply.

"I'm not in love with any Indian girl," he says.

Does that mean he would settle for a Thai one then? One never knows - considering Sumit did spend some time in Bangkok attending his brother's nuptials.

People reminded of the controversy surrounding the mysterious mark on Sumit's chin some weeks ago, may also please take note of the statement.

Meanwhile, Sumit's also been having domestic problems of another kind.

His maid, like every most other maids in the capital city, is highly irresponsible. She burns vegetables on the gas with unflinching ease and had even locked apna Sumit in his house by mistake, that too when the Business correspondent was getting late for office.

No, we are not aware if she has any designs on Sumit but if so, we can be sure it's only a one-way thing. Coz Sumit's gone right ahead and fired her.

'Peace at last' - that's the only refrain we can hear tolling in Sumit's cranium. And we wish him peace for many more years to come.

Of Flying Juniors and Narendra Modi

2005-10-14T23:14:00.000-07:00

Yes, our juniors are certainly flying high these days.

Setuka Mahajan officially kicked off outstation assignments for the juniors flying out to Chandigarh along with some cancer patients.

Meanwhile, Sumathi Chandrasekharan got a chance to nach baliye with Chief Minister Narendra Modi as she covered the four-day Gujarat Mahotsav at Ahmedabad.

The latest outstation trip again went Setuka's way with a day's sojourn in quake-hit Ursu in Kashmir, to report on the Indian Air Force's role in relief and rescue operations.

Good show, people! We seniors wish you many more such assignments.

Of TV Anchors and White Teeth

2005-10-06T11:08:00.000-07:00

Television anchor Mriganka Dadwal is going great guns, hobnobbing with the likes of Diya Mirza, Riya Sen and Shilpa Shetty over the past week for her show Ab Aayega Mazaa which airs weekdays at 5.30 pm on Zee Business.

"Of the three, Diya was really sweet," says Dadwal, hinting the other two were not. Weren't they?

And for those under the impression the IIT damsel pigs out at each restaurant she reviews, think again.

"Arre bhai, I hardly get the time to eat," says Dadwal. She recently did a feature on a newly-opened Chinese deli in the capital. "I had an assignment right after that," she explains.

Dadwal now sports a dazzling array of sparkling white teeth and like other media celebrities denies having got them whitened professionally. We find that hard to believe but the Zee Biz Miss is sticking to her stand.

Despite her busy schedule, Dadwal said she would like to meet her friends for lunch at CP this Sunday. Those interested please call her up and let her know right away.

Of Mallus and Mallu-ism

2005-10-04T20:04:00.000-07:00

Aparna Nair waxing eloquent in Malayalam while making the Foreign Impact.

Nothing wrong with that of course except for the recipient of her discourse - David Lalmalsawma, who incidentally is not a Keralite and doesn't understand a word of the Dravidian tongue.

But given the fact that Malayalees and Bengalis have grabbed a huge share of the Indian journalism pie, David might just have to put up with the torture a wee bit longer.

Of Blogs and Shameless Publicity

2005-10-02T11:01:00.000-07:00

Toe Knee's zany blog at Crazy Journo created a minor splash this week by appearing on Times of India columnist Peter Griffin's watchlist this week.

Griffin, whose weekly column on blogs and the computer world appears in the Mumbai and Kolkata editions of India's most read English newspaper, adjudged 'Crazy Journo' the 'Blog of the Week.'

Despite the honour, Griffin did point out that Toe Knee would have to work a lot, lot harder before he can even think of emulating humour writers Dave Barry and Art Buchwald.

"As the title suggests, the person behind this blog is, apparently, a journalist. And one who perhaps, finds the news reporting not satisfying enough. He does regular take-offs on the news, with deadpan articles that spoof our more, ahem, conventional media," he said.

"His standards are a tad erratic, but we put that down to youth. It will take a lot more life lived before he can hope to rival a Barry, Buchwald, or our aapro late lamented Busybee, but what I like about this blog is that he tries and does often get a grin out of my cynical face," Griffin added.

Of Quakes and Quake Experiences

2005-09-30T22:53:00.000-07:00

Believe us, Sovi Vidyadharan is certainly not having fun in Uri.

There are no mobile phone towers, no cyber cafes, no shops in the quake-hit regions - virtually cutting off the disaster correspondent from the rest of the world, as he strives to source stories amidst the devastation all around.

The only cyber cafe in Baramulla and those in Srinagar shut shop at 6.30 pm and for Sovi, who returns from Uri and adjoining areas late at night - these are of little help.

The rare sight of an STD/ISD centre on the way may be welcome, but the long queues of quake victims and army jawans waiting to talk to their folks back home is an unsettling one.

The only option - dictate stories to someone in Delhi over the phone (after coming back to areas which can boast of a mobile tower).

"I am practically celebrating Ramazan with the locals," says Sovi, pointing out that he hasn't had anything to eat since leaving for Uri at 8 in the morning.

The Dravidian lad's also caught a cold from staying out in the chilly winds and that's only made matters worse.

A back-breaking journey of several kilometres in a hired Tata Sumo, the barely there roads to Uri and Tangdhar are a cliffhanger of a test for even trained drivers, who manoeuvre with dangerously little room to spare.

Add to that the clouds of dust which swirl up and sneak inside the vehicle at regular intervals - "I have only had dust for lunch," says Sovi.

His only other companions - the myriad army trucks which pass his vehicle at regular intervals - are not something he looks forward to on the narrow roads.

One inch here or there, and one could go tumbling down into a cavernous gully. Sovi can certainly thank his lucky stars he seems to have an experienced driver.

Our message for Sovi - Hang in there buddy! You are with us in our prayers.

Of Debjit and Several Treats

2005-09-29T06:44:00.000-07:00

Debjit Chakraborty, our Crisil guy, has got it made.

The Bengali babu is currently enjoying a month-long stint in London - his third foreign trip in the past year.

Add to this the fact he and wifey Ruma just shifted to a brand new pad AND they are gonna have a baby AND recently celebrated their third wedding anniversary.

Boy! you sure have a lot of reasons for demanding a treat from this guy.

Of New Jobs and Haemoglobin Counts

2005-09-22T22:41:00.000-07:00

Swaty Prakash, whose haemoglobin count had gone for a toss just a few months back, is now slowly putting her life back together.

On September 15, the chirpy damsel started work at the Hindustan Times as a deskperson.

More good news in store - hubby Manas is voyaging to Oman on a three-day junket to flag off a boat reprising the historic trade route journey from Muscat to Dwarka - a journey first undertaken more than 5000 years ago.

Of Farewells at Railways Stations

2005-09-21T16:19:00.000-07:00

Ambika Pendharkar was all smiles while departing for amchi Mumbai despite our combined efforts to make her shed tears of remorse.

The comfy journey in a swanky new Rajdhani Express, coupled with free icecream every two hours, may have forced her to take a joyous view of the proceedings.

But now we are not so sure. Bet you miss the Capital already, Amby.

Of Sneak Pics and Abhijeet Sawant

2005-09-13T04:29:00.000-07:00

Mriganka Dadwal, who after her anchoring stint on Zee Business seems to have forgotten her friends here, is certainly enjoying her time hobnobbing with celebrities.

A little birdie told us of the existence of a photograph which links Mrigs romantically with Indian Idol Abhijeet Sawant.

Clicked by a vicious cameraperson while she was interviewing the dude, the nit pic is currently the subject of a nation-wide search. Don't worry, We'll keep you updated.

Of Punjabi Weddings and the Indian Navy

2005-09-05T10:47:00.000-07:00

To be precise, Shivika Kapur jumped on to the marital bandwagon on August 10 last.

Mrs Sood (she hates being called that) has already returned after honeymooning in Darjeeling and is busy settling in at her Mumbai residence with hubby Amit, an engineer in the Indian Navy.

The wedding at Delhi's posh Tivoli Gardens was a tony affair with typical Punjabi fanfare but even so the highlight of the evening was Shivika's grand entrance in a resplendent scarlet lehenga.

Bet she would have won a Best-Dressed Bride contest anywhere in the world.

Of Cricket Controversies and Hotel Food

2005-09-05T05:14:00.000-07:00

Avishek Roy, who went off to Gwalior for covering 20/20 cricket, also got a decent impact in the bargain.

Add to that, the sights and sounds of the Scindia kingdom and you know Avi must have had a nice five-day trip.

The only hitch - the hotel food didn't quite agree with the Bengali lad. Well, we all know there's no such thing as the perfect assignment.

Of Snazzy Shirts and the Westside Story

2005-08-28T00:12:00.000-07:00

Guess who goes to Westside and spends all of rupees four thousand on a T-shirt, a shirt and four pairs of trousers? The answer: One of our top bosses.

Recently, he entered office quite nattily dressed - causing deskpersons to drop whatever they were doing and simply stare.

In fact, his own boss complimented the former on his choice of snazzy apparel AND expressed his desire to frequent the famous clothing chain.

Well, it certainly proves that the honchos are as conscious of contemporary fashion trends as the college-going crowd.

Of Fishy Matters and Bengali Diets

2005-08-13T01:11:00.000-07:00

Well, even as Debjit's gonna be a father, we found out that he's already become a granddad.

Not to a human though. It turns out that a school of four fish that the Bengali dada had been breeding in a fledgling aquarium gave birth to a dozen wriggling aquatic infants.

Unfortunately, the fish tank no longer houses any living creatures and is today merely a bowl of dirty water.

What happened? Well, given the Bengali community's propensity for fried fish, we'll leave you to put two and two together.

Of Love Bites and Secret Affairs

2005-08-12T07:12:00.000-07:00

Love Bite???? Wondering about that strange mark on Sumit's right cheek? You are not alone.

The office is rife with reports that Sumit is not himself anymore. Is it love? Or is it merely a shaving nick? Has Cupid finally conquered the Haryanvi dude?

Try as he might, Sumit can't hide the fact that the mark on his cheek looks suspiciously like a hickey.

When contacted, he refused to clarify matters, leaving rumourmongers baffled. But don't you worry, we'll find out more about the mysterious damsel in his life.

Of Some PYTs and an Equal Number of Chairs

2005-07-23T19:10:00.000-07:00

Help! Our office has been invaded by an army of pretty young things. Whichever you look, you are likely to spot somebody doing nothing.

Presto! You have found the intern. Arrayed in the latest pret-a-porters, with some even sporting streaked hair, the interns are here to while away a fortnight.

Of course, we can't be too harsh - there isn't much a newcomer can do in our organisation's scheme of things.

Which is why they simply plop themselves into chairs and stare at us, while we stare back wondering how we have aged in the past one year. Wonder who's more curious about the other?

Of Someone Getting Malaria

2005-07-15T11:04:00.000-07:00

Avishek's been bitten by a female anopheles mosquito - and the not-so-romantic tryst has resulted in the dude suffering from malaria.

Good thing he's on leave right now - that too in the salubrious environs of his home in Giridih.

Hey Avi, we wish you a quick recovery. Hope you are back in Delhi soon - to cheer us up with that infectious smile.

Of Spilt Beer and Stinking Clothes

2005-06-20T10:55:00.000-07:00

On his Amsterdam trip last week, yours truly had his first encounter with the liquid which makes many a man go weak in the knees - Beer.

Dining out at an alfresco cafe one night with Ms Doordarshan, Mr Telegraph, and Ms Star News, Toe Knee had no idea of what fate had in store for him.

The poor soul had ordered a glass of chocomel (chocolate milk) while the others had opted for the fizzier drink.

But in true-blue filmi style, the blonde bombshell of a waitress tripped over the carpet and dumped the contents of a humongous pitcher of beer onto the poor guy's torso.

For the wet, dripping and stinking scribe, the apologies of the waitress did not help matters.

And pray, what did fellow travellers on the flight home think of the stench emanating from Toe Knee's jacket? We'll leave you to figure that one out.

Of Driving Lessons and Roads on Fire

2005-06-10T06:09:00.000-07:00

Look who's driving too? Swaty Prakash, recovering from a tussle with her haemoglobin count, is presently in the process of learning to drive.

And what better car to practise on than her swanky new pearl-silver Alto?

Hey Swats, just make sure you don't set the roads on fire as you whizz past. Another such learner is apna Debjit who's also planning to swap his mobike for a four-wheeler.

Of Merry Mrigs and Sweltering Shoots

2005-06-05T04:56:00.000-07:00

Of all things Mriganka had to undergo as part of her current stint at a business news channel, doing piece-to-cameras in Delhi's sweltering heat has to take the cake.

Recently, the poor lass had to give five takes for a shoot outside a Noida mall at 2 in the afternoon. Poor Mrigs.

Of Shaven Heads and Press Conferences

2005-05-29T09:52:00.000-07:00

Well, well, well! Prashant's new 'shaven head' look might have caused certain eyebrows to rise in various directions but now with Misha alleging that it was an "accident", the hairdo seems destined to be mired in controversy.

At a press conference last week, Misha alleged that Prashant had revealed to her the reason for his Mogambo look.

"He had been trimming his hair with a shaver (sic) and went a bit too far with it on one side of his scalp. As a result of this accident, he was forced to shave off some hair on the other side to balance the look. One thing led to another and before he knew it, Prashant had harvested his entire crop of hair," the Ludhiana lass told reporters here.

When contacted (as part of our policy of balanced and objective reporting), Prashant merely seethed with anger and denied the whole incident, saying he had not even spoken to anyone about his hair.

"I am more concerned with inflation, and am not obsessed with my hair. Don't you people have anything better to report on?," the venerable scribe queried, turning a beetroot red in the process.

Believe it or not - we believe that's not the last we're going to hear of this controversy.

Of Death Threats and Wedding Bells

2005-05-14T21:57:00.000-07:00

Anima Balakrishnan. Yes, this is the byline which the former damsel from our organisation used in her story in a national newspaper this week.

So, has she got married on the sly? That's what our correspondent Shemin Joy alleges in a breaking news story.

All attempts to contact the accused in the minuscule tehsil of Coimbatore proved futile. Looks like the only telephone in that remote Tamil Nadu village was out-of-order.

However, soon after the publication of his report, our correspondent started receiving threatening calls from the accused.

"I'll kill you when I get my hands on you" - these were the words used by the accused to terrorise our reporter and Shemin is ready to swear to them in any court of law.

Hey Anima, come clean on the subject. We'll forgive your getting married without telling us - or even if the strange byline was the result of a printing error.

Of Papa Debjit and More Treats

2005-05-10T00:44:00.000-07:00

Our very own Debjit is all set to be a proud papa soon. Whether he will be dressing the would-be babe in blue or pink outfits remains to be seen.

Well, we wish the proud pa-to-be and wifey dear Sucharita all the very best. Do I hear legions of fans hankering for a treat?

Of Hairdo Mishaps and Exclusive Perfumes

2005-05-09T04:33:00.000-07:00

Heard Misha complaining that her overzealous hairdresser went a trifle overboard while handling her tresses.

The resultant hairdo (though Misha says it's a tad short) has found favour with some of us, reminding us of the pretty locks of Jennifer Aniston (Rachel) in the American sitcom Friends.

What's more, Misha is experimenting with a new eau-de-cologne. No, we won't tell you which one - it won't remain exclusive anymore.

Of Foots in Mouths and Editors on Phones

2005-04-22T04:38:00.000-07:00

Little do people know that apna Kapil Kelkar actually had the temerity to say Bol, yaar to our senior editor.

Before you rise from your seat and clutch your heart in indignation, let me add the incident had all the overtones of a good ol' mistaken-identity flick.

Seems Kapil was in TV Monitoring when the telephone rang. Under the impression that he was talking to yours truly, Kapil responded in true-blue fraternal spirit - Bol, yaar (Literal translation - Speak, friend). Wonder what editorji must have thought at that instant.

Of Singaporean Chow and Digicams

2005-04-01T19:23:00.000-08:00

Our expats seem to be doing really well. Debjit is currently enjoying a week-long business junket in Singapore.

And making our eyes pop out with envy as he tucks into Singaporean chow.

The Bengali babu recently bought a swanky digicam - this was soon after his trip to the British capital in February.

Who knows what tech marvel DC will experiment with this time. SOME PEOPLE (By the way, I have a patent over this phrase - Anima! Dare you use it again) have all the luck in the world.

Of TV Monitors and Indian Idols

2005-03-13T11:20:00.000-08:00

The popularity of a television programme can be gauged not by TRP ratings but how often it's watched in the TV room of a news media organisation.

Incidentally, the TV here is strictly meant for monitoring news channels. Imagine then, the surprise of the person in the Monitoring shift when one senior reporter (who will remain anonymous) asked her to change channels so that he could enjoy an episode of Indian Idol.

That too at nine pm prime time, when the ritual of watching NDTV is deemed sacrosanct.

Indian Idol - the magical malady which transports even journos to a world of mystical melody.

Of Resignations and Dropping Flies

2005-03-04T11:18:00.000-08:00

Coming close on the heels of the resignations of Anima, Shivika, Mriganka and Anurag is the shocking news of Swaty quitting our office.

Sources have comfirmed that Swaty, who is currently battling illness in Patna, has resigned and that hubby dearest Manas Gupta will be dropping in the resignation letter on her behalf. Come on guys, we are dropping like flies.

Pretty soon, the Prime Minister will forget all about tigers and will set up a Task Force to look into the disappearance of journos from the 2004 batch. Yes, we certainly are an endangered species.

Of Debjit and Valedictory Paeans

2005-02-11T06:07:00.000-08:00

Veteran journalist Debjit has left the organisation to continue in his quest for attaining Nirvana. He left the office discreetly, so that his fans would not prove to be an obstacle in his path. However, his decision to voluntarily suspend his idle hours with effect from November 13, 2004 evoked a mixed response.

Two trainees committed suicide by banging their heads against computer monitors. The positive fallout of this tragic event was that these computers have now started working properly. According to unidentified sources, the trainees could not contain their joy at the news of Debjit's departure and as a result got a trifle over-enthusiastic.

Some other colleagues reportedly partook of karela-ka-juice because the Chakraborty gyan sessions had now become history and they wanted to atone for the ways in which they had irritated their Dronacharya. Many observed a two-minute silence to honour the maestro who had already numbed their eardrums with his cacophonous chatter.

"I miss the sound of his voice. It always used to help me in concentrating in my work because I never paid any heed to his constant background drivel. But now that it's no longer there, the dead silence in the office frightens me," said one heart-broken trainee on condition of anonymity.

Among other veterans, there was a sense of frustration because their canteen refills would now remain uneaten as there was no threat of cross-border terrorism. The resulting wastage would earn them the curses of millions of starving Indians.

In fact, the canteen proprietor promptly burst into tears when contacted by this reporter. Apparently, he had recently ordered a fresh consignment of halwa to satisfy the hunger pangs of "Sir Debjit", and as a result of the uneaten dessert, had incurred a loss 2.5 times that of Namibia's GDP.

When contacted at his secret location 200 centimetres off Kasturba Gandhi Marg where a lowly beggar was busy admonishing him to "Keep Still", the Bengali babu downplayed the developments, and said there was no way he could be induced to return.

"Ki holo? Aami Okhanay Jaabe Naa. I will not rest until I find Nirvana," he said. "I am no longer into materialism and will soon be moving to London to suffer the hardships of staying in a posh, five-star hotel."

Well DC, although we are Green with envy at your leaving for Greener pastures with tens of thousands of more Green bills, we wish you all the very best for your new assignment. Our blessings and our curses (a minor amount) be with you always. Best of Luck.

Of Dirty Dailies and Sleepy Sentries

2005-01-10T10:09:00.000-08:00

Ever wonder why in the mornings, newspapers in the 'newspaper room' appear crumpled and smell like they have spent the night with a tramp on 'Mud' Island. Well, they have - spent the night with someone, I mean.

As the wee hours strike, mysterious figures flit into the newspaper room and steal the stacks away. And why are newspaper stacks so precious? No, you certainly can't sell them on the black market for a million dollars. BUT they do serve as fantastic substitutes for comfy mattresses in the office.

Our correspondent conducted a graveyard shift recce and discovered five non-journalistic staff lying spreadeagled on 'newspaper stack' mattresses. And each guy seemed to have a personal favourite.

Speaking to us on condition of anonymity, one guy professed his undying love for the soft and tender 'skin' of The Asian Age.

Others swore by The Times of India and Hindustan Times. But there are few takers for National Herald which finishes a poor last in the 'newspaper stack' sweepstakes. It is said that the Herald newsprint is of inferior quality and is likely to give you a skin rash if you sleep with it for too long.

Of Tapped Telephones and Latin Codes

2004-12-09T03:01:00.000-08:00

Beware of the office telephones for they might be tapped. Yours truly had one horrifying experience while yapping away to glory with one of his friends.

The conversation had just reached its zenith when the operator suddenly screams into our respective auditory canals. And this is what he said - "Arre, Bus kar! Bahut ho gaya! Phone aa raha hai (Hey You! Stop it! It's enough now. There's a call coming)."

Squirming with embarrassment, I bid a hasty good-bye to my friend, who by the way, refuses to talk to me since that fateful day and continues to believe that I work in a weird and sordid organisation where employers listen in on calls.

Which means that you must no longer use office phones to bitch about the organisation or snigger at the unruly locks of a senior. Coz, as this numbing experience proves, Dear Mr EPABX Operator can and does eavesdrop on conversations.

So, unless you wanna make a hasty exit from the esteemed organisation, do stay away from the killer phones.

Solution 2: Learn Latin and conduct all telephonic conversations in this difficult tongue. I am sure Mr Operator won't understand phrases like Et tu Brute and summum bonum and will soon give up listening in.

Of Big Bulls and Delhi Roads

2004-11-07T16:50:00.000-08:00

Accidents on Delhi's killer roads are no rarity. Our very own Swaty and her hubby Manas had a bad experience last week while wending their way past Nizamuddin Bridge.

It was close to midnight as the couple continued on their homeward journey when suddenly, a bull 'detached' itself from the surrounding darkness and chose to appear directly in the path of the mobike.

Swerving to avoid contact with the ghoulish creature, Manas loses control of the machine, and falls to the ground. The Yamaha proved to be 'Maha' and chose to fall on top of him for lack of a better parking space.

Swaty had fallen off the bike too but then she was up and about in a jiffy, rushing to the side of her husband who had blacked out for some terrifying moments.

Imagine the scene - damsel in distress at the scene of a midnight mishap. And guess the number of vehicles who would stop and help? Yes, you guessed right - None.

A number of vehicles did slow down but when it came to playing Good Samaritan, Delhites try so hard not to be saints. But there was certainly a happy ending.

The knight in shining armour this time was an unlikely one - a kindly soul riding an Eicher tractor. Between the two of them, Swaty and the Good Samaritan managed to extract the mobike which had been busy enjoying a horse-ride on Manas' back.

Hubby dear regained consciousness soon after and was lucky enough to escape sans fractures. Swaty suffered only a few bruises and was back in office after a day's well-deserved rest.

And what of the Good Samaritan? Well, it must suffice to reveal that the anonymous soul is still out there somewhere, waiting to perform his next saintly act. May his tribe increase.

Of Business Boys and Visiting Cards

2004-11-07T01:48:00.000-08:00

An injustice has come to our notice. Business Bureau boys - Debjit, Salu, Prashant and Sumit were rewarded with individual visiting cards, which they will flash at five-star buffet lunches.

And at their sources too. Is this discrimination or what? Are we not humans too? Are our dietary requirements any different from what Business Beat Beasts need to sustain their work?

Are our digestive systems not the same? So, how come they are getting this additional incentive to stuff their guts with blackberry icecream.

Haven't we too dreamt of flashing our 'Bond. James Bond' cards all over that ruthless over-inquisitive PR guy.

A complaint has already been launched with the National Human Rights Commission and they have promised to put an end to such unjust practices as soon as their members get their visiting cards printed.

Boo-hoo! Life sure is miserable.

Of Courts and Court Cases

2004-11-05T22:45:00.000-08:00

We had a not-so-pleasant brush with the judiciary last month.

The Apex Court had put a month-long stay order on our publication after litigant Prashant Sahoo filed a case against us in court. He complained that we invaded his privacy when we reported on his Dubai 'trip' in a previous issue.

Spewing venom at this publication's editor, the worthy scribe made his irritation pretty apparent.

"I had no plans to go to Dubai and I was not supposed to be sent there either. The entire story was mere fabrication and I seek justice from the honourable court. The episode cost me emotional hurt and I have sued them for a million dollars,"

he told reporters at a press conference here.

"I am sick of the paparazzi in this country. They offer me no peace. When I go home, they are there. When I come to office, they are there. God knows if they have installed hidden cameras. Why can't they harass filmstars and leave us poor journalists alone,"

added a miffed Prashant.

Of Corrigendums and Immolation Bids

2004-11-05T08:44:00.000-08:00

EDITOR'S CORRIGENDUM

We are extremely sorry that Prashant resorted to such an extreme step. We had already conveyed our apologies to him. Out story was based on an unofficial source who provided us with false and biased information.

Following the publication of the story, our source mysteriously vanished. Reports later stated the accused was seen holidaying in the backwaters of Kerala.

Since we have no means to trace him, we offer an unconditional written apology to Prashant asking him to take back the case against us and settle the matter out-of-court.

We also beg Prashant to consider the plight of millions of our readers who have not had the chance of getting Office News updates for a month now. This publication is like manna for them, without which they cannot even contemplate surviving.

We have had frantic calls asking us to renew publication and there have been several self-immolation bids as well.

Prashant! Take pity and let this blessed publication continue its work of divine inspiration.

At the same time, we would like to remind Prashant, that if and when he goes to Dubai, he should certainly get some chocolates from there for his journalistic brethren. After all, it's his duty before God - to care for his colleagues.

Of Prashant and Passport Glitches

2004-11-01T16:41:00.000-08:00

Yes, according to unofficial sources, Prashant was supposed to see the sights of Dubai and make the best of a journalistic assignment.

However, a passport hitch came in his way and ensured that he stays put in India.

Bad Luck, Prashant. We hope you get a chance to visit Dubai soon, especially during the Dubai festival so that you could use the opportunity to buy plenty of expensive gifts and chocolates for your loving office colleagues.

And this is a reminder to all you people out there. Get your passport right now.

Of Anima and Broken Ribs

2004-11-01T02:44:00.000-08:00

Statutory Warning: Stay clear of Anima these days.

For those of you not clued in, she's been meeting wrestlers, body-builders and boxers in the previous weeks, as part of her duties at the Sports Desk.

So in case you are in the mood to get your shins kicked or some vital bones broken to bits, try and irritate her in some way or the other.

Believe me, she has all the right contacts to send you to Elysium as well. Quivering sources also testify, on condition of anonymity, that Anima has picked up some sparring tips and is already accused of causing some muscle sprains, black eyes and sore chins.

Of Anurag and Dehradun Trips

2004-10-29T10:52:00.000-07:00

If you think the sparkle is missing from Anurag's eyes these days, you won't be too far from the truth.

The happy-go-lucky lad is down in the dumps after missing a date with environmentalist Vandana Shiva.

Anurag was promised by his news editor he would be sent to Dehradun to attend Shiva's conference, IF he transformed some press releases into decent stories.

The office mascot came through with his trademark exuberance but the editor threw a spanner in the works by deciding to award the juicy assignment to the Dehradun correspondent.

Don't worry Anurag, we're sure you will get even better assignments in the future. So, keep your chin up and keep flashing that brilliant smile.