What was your first job as a journalist?
I worked for a local newspaper in Ghaziabad as an intern.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Nope
How is social media changing news?
It has decentralised the source of news for the common man while also helping news organisations gather the pulse of the nation.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Meera Gaity from No One Killed Jessica
What does it mean to be a journalist?
Telling human stories that often remain uncovered while retaining my humanity
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
It is difficult for me to zero down on a single hashtag as there are many. If I had to list a single, it has to be
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Via e-mail
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Wordpress, Twitter, Hootsuite, Tweetdeck, Grammarly, Wordcounter, Microsoft Excel
Who do you wish followed you?
Ratan Tata, Anand Mahindra, Arnab Goswami and Elon Musk
Why did you become a journalist?
To tell human stories which are often left uncovered
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
I worked for my college newsletter. I wrote and edited articles for them. Sometimes I put joy into words but at other times, it would be pain
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
The Sanjeev Bikhchandani Padma Shri reactions one, my first BusinessToday.In byline on Rana Kapoor among several others
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Keep your ear to the ground and head on your shoulders to get a realistic assessment of RK Lakshman's common man.
When's the best time to pitch you?
evening (5pm-10pm)
What's the best pitch you ever got?
Pitch is a pitch. You have to exercise your editorial discretion to decide what pitch will work and what will just tank
What's your favorite drink?
Pina Colada (both Virgin and otherwise)
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
Watching some good movies on Amazon Prime or catching up with the trends on Twitter
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
Hindustan Times, Mint
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
It's the most mundane beat and that you guys always have to deal with numbers. Well, that's not the case
