Ammara Ahmad
As seen in:
The Indian Express,
PS,
DNA India,
The Express Tribune,
The Quint,
The Wire (India),
Daily Times,
The Nation (Pakistan),
Newslaundry,
The Friday Times
and
Covers:
Human Rights, women, science, politics and culture. I know its a mess but that's how my brain works.
Independent Journalist. Writer. Literary Translator. Chasing stories with chai in hand. Punjabi language activist. All disclaimers apply.
Interview
What was your first job as a journalist?
Interviewing a painter.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Yes.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
None.
What does it mean to be a journalist?
You have to be of service to people who deserve to know.
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Email.
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Linkedin, Twitter, and now Chat GPT.
What's your favorite social network?
Twitter.
Who do you wish followed you?
No one.
Why did you become a journalist?
One accident and the crazy excitement of interviewing people that followed.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
Yes. I used to write for my college paper and also for kids magazines.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
My work on Punjabi language and its decline in Pakistan.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Please come over only if you have a lot of passion.
When's the best time to pitch you?
Any.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
Many. I don't think anyone plans a bad pitch. Most pitches are just poorly timed.
What's your favorite drink?
Tea my mother made.
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
Bed.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
AP. Al Jazeera. Wired.
Would you like to take the Muck Rack Interview?
Create a Muck Rack profile.