A love letter to Sunday mid-day

Pic/Rane Ashish

Ten months ago, when I first received a reference to apply for an internship at Sunday mid-day, I was in a very dark and uncertain place in life. College had just ended a couple of months earlier, and the one university I had applied to for a Master's had rejected me. I had a very strong will to work in print journalism, but every newsroom I applied to turned me away because I didn't have a journalism degree.

I sent Aastha Atray Banan - Sunday mid-day Editor - an email with all my credentials, quietly praying that, unlike the 31 other places I'd applied to, this one would finally show a green light. Three days later, she replied: "Can you join on Tuesday? Work starts at 12 pm. The office is in Bandra East."

I don't know which gods I had propitiated to have landed my first big-girl job here. I started off as an intern for two months, but Aastha soon offered me a full-time position. I wasn't sure at first - part of me wanted varied experiences - but taking this job was, without a doubt, the best decision I've made so far.

And that credit goes wholly to the Sunday mid-day team. Aastha, without whom I wouldn't be here, believed in me long before I believed in myself. Her trust has shaped me into the features writer I've grown into today. Her legacy, her lore, and her ability to handle the most dire situations with grace is what I've learnt from the most.

Debjani, our Assistant Editor, is one of the kindest souls I've met. She taught me patience, but not at the cost of efficiency. Under her guidance I learnt that the only way to do a job well is to be thorough. That when you slip up, you have a team that's got your back, and that's one of the best feelings ever.

Before this, I had no background in journalism. I didn't know how to approach, structure, or draft a story, let alone pitch it. When I was assigned my first ever piece, I think Arpika, our Deputy Assistant Editor, sensed how lost I was. She probably doesn't even realise how much her "mentor first, colleague second" approach means to every newbie in the team.

Vidya, our Assistant Editor, taught me that enjoying what you do is as important as rigour. With her experience and warmth, she has been a constant reminder that you can be sharp and joyful in equal measure. And then there's Akshita - my work bestie - who started off as an intern and is now a full-time employee. Sunday mid-day wouldn't have been half as fun without her. If someone could combine pop culture brain-rot with razor-sharp critical thinking, it is her. From dissecting stories for the Mad World page to our four daily coffee breaks (which we called side quests), she made every day brighter. Popularly known as the "Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum" duo of the office, we never beat the "joined at the hip" allegations.

Working in an all-women team for my first job showed me more than I ever expected, about womanhood, feminism, and everything in between. Before working here, my understanding of being a woman was limited to my immediate surroundings. But here, I learnt that it doesn't look just one way. It can be quiet or loud, bold or careful. It can be wearing what you want, saying what you feel, owning your sexuality, or simply taking up space unapologetically. The women I worked with are strong, vulnerable, fearless, soft - all at once.

That said, Sunday mid-day wasn't exclusively a women's world. Anand Singh was the quiet observer in this dynamic. From him, I learnt resilience, calm, and depth. He taught me that staying true to your calling, and to the topics that genuinely move you, is a way of staying true to yourself.

At Sunday mid-day, every week brought a new kind of story and a new kind of challenge, forcing me out of my comfort zone and adding something new to my skill set. One of my greatest takeaways from working as a journalist is that nothing and no one is out of reach, as long as you want it badly enough.

Print journalism is truly a testament to rigour and truth, especially in the times we live in. To have had the opportunity to witness how it functions - through being on production duties during landmark events like the General and Maharashtra elections, and the Operation Sindoor ceasefire declaration - and to experience the intensity of what goes on behind the scenes, I am nothing but grateful.

And then there was the laughter, the madness, the jokes, the "work hard, party harder" vibe that made my time at office even better. Team dinners and celebrations made me realise that work isn't just about tasks and deadlines; it's about the memories, and the joy of growing up while being mentored by the best people.

I write every word with nothing but gratitude when I say this: All teams have their ups and downs. But this team - this was a dream team. Aastha once said to me "small decisions can change everything," and she couldn't have been more right. As I move forward to a new chapter, one thing is for sure - Sunday mid-day is home. This was one of the most meaningful chapters of my life, and the people in it will forever have my heart.