Well I am a reporter in a news channel. We are often sent on specific assignments to cover certain events which sometimes turn out to be enlightening sometimes dissapointing and sometimes leave a deep impact on us.
Well the only assignment which had my name against it today was 'Foundation stone unveiling ceremony' of the 'Vivanta', our very own Taj at Khanapara, Guwahati, by our CM, alongwith Ratan Tata and a host of other dignitaries.
After having covered the event, I came back to office and sat in front of a machine with the sole intention of playing 'Farmville' on facebook. But that was not to be as I had hardly logged in that Parag Da, our Political Editor asked me to take a camera and rush to the Assam Enginering College where Ratan Tata was scheduled to attend another function.
I admire Parag Da for his efficiency, wealth of knowledge and managing skills. He asked me to reach the Jalukbari Campus within 20 minutes...Ahem...20 minutes! He expected our driver Narayan Da to perform a miracle, rush hour traffic, snarls since morning owing to 'Tata's' visit and Christian Basti to Jalukbari in 20 minutes, bah!
Narayan Da tried his best, but a commotion on the way stopped us. Dhanmoni Da, my cameraperson took his camera and rushed to a building with flames leaping out and just at that moment we heard sirens blaring. I stepped out of the car and looked up at the building, a child, hardly 5 came running out, clutching a little rag doll in her tiny hands, crying, screaming out for her mother, looking around in the crowd to find a familiar face. I ran to her and touched her hand...looked at her reassuringly. She stared at me for a moment, sized me and decided to stop crying. I asked a policeman if it is serious, if there were any casualities..he replied that thankfully no life has been lost but the building has been damaged. The child pulled at my stole and started howling again. I bent down and wiped her cheeks and told her to stop crying as we had to go look for her folks, she nooded bravely and held my hand and luckily her mother spotted us and came running and took her dear daughter in her arms. She thanked me profusely and went to the where the rest of her family were standing looking at their home burning down.
I went and talked to an officer about the incident and called my cameraperson away as we had to reach Jalukbari and were already running much behind schedule. I rang up my office and gave the details and sat in the car. Just as the car started moving, I turned back to take a last look at the fire brigade spraying water and the crowd, that little girl caught my attention. Tucked safely in her mother's lap, she was smiling and hugging her rag doll. Was that maternal instinct?
Well the only assignment which had my name against it today was 'Foundation stone unveiling ceremony' of the 'Vivanta', our very own Taj at Khanapara, Guwahati, by our CM, alongwith Ratan Tata and a host of other dignitaries.
After having covered the event, I came back to office and sat in front of a machine with the sole intention of playing 'Farmville' on facebook. But that was not to be as I had hardly logged in that Parag Da, our Political Editor asked me to take a camera and rush to the Assam Enginering College where Ratan Tata was scheduled to attend another function.
I admire Parag Da for his efficiency, wealth of knowledge and managing skills. He asked me to reach the Jalukbari Campus within 20 minutes...Ahem...20 minutes! He expected our driver Narayan Da to perform a miracle, rush hour traffic, snarls since morning owing to 'Tata's' visit and Christian Basti to Jalukbari in 20 minutes, bah!
Narayan Da tried his best, but a commotion on the way stopped us. Dhanmoni Da, my cameraperson took his camera and rushed to a building with flames leaping out and just at that moment we heard sirens blaring. I stepped out of the car and looked up at the building, a child, hardly 5 came running out, clutching a little rag doll in her tiny hands, crying, screaming out for her mother, looking around in the crowd to find a familiar face. I ran to her and touched her hand...looked at her reassuringly. She stared at me for a moment, sized me and decided to stop crying. I asked a policeman if it is serious, if there were any casualities..he replied that thankfully no life has been lost but the building has been damaged. The child pulled at my stole and started howling again. I bent down and wiped her cheeks and told her to stop crying as we had to go look for her folks, she nooded bravely and held my hand and luckily her mother spotted us and came running and took her dear daughter in her arms. She thanked me profusely and went to the where the rest of her family were standing looking at their home burning down.
I went and talked to an officer about the incident and called my cameraperson away as we had to reach Jalukbari and were already running much behind schedule. I rang up my office and gave the details and sat in the car. Just as the car started moving, I turned back to take a last look at the fire brigade spraying water and the crowd, that little girl caught my attention. Tucked safely in her mother's lap, she was smiling and hugging her rag doll. Was that maternal instinct?
Few years back I wrote in a page-one story in the Dainik Janasadharan that a human is needed behind the camera. Being a fellow of the fourth estate, I want to praise you of your humanity over profession. Keep it up.
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