Culture at Sakal Times Maharashtra Herald

Culture at Sakal Times Maharashtra Herald

What were the unique and enviable characteristics of Maharashtra Herald - Sakal Times in the newspaper industry in Pune? Most of those over a thousand youngsters and others who had a stint in this newspaper would agree that it was the newspaper’s friendly work culture and extra curricular activities conducted there. After reading my article on Goodbye Sakal Times Maharashtra Herald, a former colleague said to me: Camil, You have forgotten the most important aspect of this newspaper, the fun, frolic and recreational activities all of us had at the newspaper’s premises. I agreed immediately.

All those for whom Maharashtra Herald Sakal Times (2003 – 2020) was the first love in journalism have cherished the newspaper’s work culture and those who joined us in this newspaper after having served in other newspapers just could not believe the relaxed and stress free atmosphere in the reporting section. At the farewell parties which were quite frequent in this newspaper people would mention this.

I have known some journalists who faced mental torture and were at the brink of mental illness, courtesy their seniors in other city newspapers. Some of them who joined Sakal Times, albeit with lesser salaries, had experienced a new lease of life due to the work atmosphere here

I shifted from the news desk to reporting when Maharashtra Herald turned Sakal Times on May 9, 2008. I have a copy of this first day edition. The transfer provided me an opportunity to mingle with young reporters team. We looked for opportunities and Bakara for celebrations, the first salary of the newcomer, birthdays, an exit for better prospects and so on. The celebrations with snack parties were held in the office canteen. If it was a farewell party, the guys and girls would be coaxed to say a few words. This often used to be hilarious and sometimes senti too.

Sometimes three or more reporters would pull in cash to throw Biryani and Pav Bhaji parties for the team of reporters and photographers. It was a treat to watch some of our food connoisseurs to relish the Biryani. Editors Dhananjay Sardeshpande, Amitabh Dasgupta, Rahul Chandawarkar and Rohit Chandavarkar too joined these parties with the news bureau team.

The birthday celebration practice was started by Pradyuman Maheshwari in 2004. I remember even Abhijit Pawar or AP Sir, Group Editor Anand Agashe and CEO Shailesh Amonkar attended these celebrations. For most years, birthday parties were arranged by the administrative manager Atique Shaikh.

I remember the shock and awe on the faces of Jacqueline and Aditi when a bouquet with a greeting card from Sakal Media Group arrived by courier at my residence in Chinchwad at 7 am in August 2004 to greet me on my birthday ! Jacqueline who was then not happy with my decision to leave The Times of India to join the Sakal group was then immensely pleased with this gesture.

Maharashtra Herald had its first re – launch anniversary celebrations along with the Marathi Agrowon daily at a hotel in Pune Camp in April 2005. The party which started late night had free flowing liquor and cigarette smoke bellowing in the air continued till dawn. Sakal Media Group’s young Managing Director had made a brief guest appearance around 10.30 pm and left immediately so as to not cause embarrassment to the party people.

Maharashtra Herald Sakal Times anniversary celebrations were always held in big hotels, the last ninth anniversary celebrations were held at Hyatt Hotel on the Ahmednagar Road. That was just a few months before I formally bowed out of the Sakal establishment.

The menu in Sakal’s anniversary lunch for employees held at the headquarter premises, like the Pune Union of Working Journalists meals, is purely vegetarian and does not include even an egg, let alone chicken, fish or other non vegetarian dishes. Maharashtra Herald Sakal Times anniversary celebrations were however in stark contrast to Sakal’s traditional Pan Supari anniversary celebrations held every year on January 1. Different culture of the newspapers in two different languages, was the explanation provided.

Pradyuman Maheshwari threw a grand party on the lawns of an Army institute in Pune Camp after he quit Maharashtra Herald. Have you ever heard of an outgoing editor hosting a lavish party ʔ The party was attended by AP Sir, Sherna Gandhy and whos who in the city English journalism.

Sunday evenings were special for the news bureau team. As the canteen was closed that day, Suki bhel would be brought around 5.30 pm, spread on my desk on a newspaper and everyone would take their share. Sometimes there would be hot Wada Pav or Samosa brought from the corner’s Durga sweets.

Most important, unlike in other newspaper establishments, there were no major rival power centres in Sakal Times. Our bureau chief Kiran Dongaonkar helped me immensely when I was planning a family vacation in Europe in 2012. Ranjan Dasgupta and myself both worked as chief of news bureau alternatively but both of us enjoyed most cordial relations.

Last few years, most of all reporters and photographers as well as desk persons had started going out for the evening tea and snacks. The journalists were not required to sign the in and out register kept at the security cabin. Naturally there were different teams of staffers visiting different tea and snack joints. Believe me, when we shifted from Sakal headquarters to Shivajinagar, there were only two food joints, Durga Sweets and an Udupi hotel at the Na Ta Wadi junction.

The long open space at the corridor of Sakal Times beckoned us everyday after the sunset and the exit of the top executives. After the reporters had filed their stories and the cars of the senior executives had left from the passage, we would take out the badminton rackets and shuttlecocks from the cupboards. The yelling, screaming and swearing that followed at the open court would intimate the others in the reporting as well as the desk that the badminton session had began.

The regular players at the open badminton court were Sandip Dighe, Anamika Nandekar, Omkar Paranjape, Amol Gokhale, Aseem Tribhuvan, Kaumudi Kashikar Gurjar, Bhagyashree Kulthe and Vaibhav Thombare. I was of course the common figure and also the motivating factor for this outdoor game. At around 8 pm. Editor Rohit Chandavarkar would wave at the playing team as he would take out his car from the premises.

I carried on the off duty badminton sessions at the SIILC at Baner where I was shifted a la Amitabh Dadgupta, Apoorva Palkar and Shriram Shinde but not in the same roles.

Then there were very special occasions of late night parties at various hotels located in Shivajinagar, Rahul Theatre Hotel being the most favourite joint. The food expenses would be shared equally. However there was however a catch. Those having liquor would have to pay for their share. I was totally relaxed at these parties as Vaibhav or Parag or Sunil Pradhan - all of them being teetotalers - would be my Sarathi to drop me in Chinchwad. Initially, on two or three occasions, we even invited Editor Rohit Chandavarkar to join us. He just smiled knowingly, gesturing us to go ahead, and we understood.

The most memorable such night parties were those hosted by Surbhi Modi at her residence in Baner just a few days before she left for the UK for studies and at Parag Jadhav’s residence very far away in Moshi in Pimpri Chinchwad.

At another end of the Na Ta Wadi and opposite the Dalwi hospital is an Amrutatulya hotel. Here I have spent so many hours during the past 10 to 12 years with news editor Soni, Subhash Abooj, Ranjan Dasgupta, Sandip Kolhatkar, Bhagyashree Kulthe, Sandip Dighe, Abhay Khairnar, Parag Jadhav, Alok Nirantar and Anand Chaini.

Last few years as our bond grew stronger, we would look forward to such tea breaks. During the last few years, we had increased frequencies of the tea breaks. Of course, we then had absolutely no inkling that the days of our togetherness were soon coming to an end. Ranjan was first to move away, followed by Abhay and later even Bhagyashree. Nowadays while moving from Na Ta Wadi to Shivajinagar, my eyes invariably move to that Amrutatulya joint, as if hoping that there would be some Sakal Times journalists waiting for someone like me to join in.

In addition to these routine features, Sakal Times journalists had much more to look for, besides their professional duties, at their Shivajinagar premises.

For many years, there were three religious celebrations Amar, Akbar, Anthony style everyone in Maharashtra Herald Sakal Times looked forward too.

Madhav Gokhale would bring a box full of home cooked fresh Modaks during the 11 day Ganesh festival celebrations. Shashwat Gupta Ray, Tania Roy and others would bring boxes of Bengali sweets during the Durga Puja festival. Atique Shaikh would rush in with a steel dabba carrying delicious hot Shir Kurma for everyone on the occasion of the Ramazan Eid.

And at the end of the year, there was that joyous occasion of Santa Claus coming to everyone at their desk to wish them Merry Christmas... The annual visit of Santa Claus in white and red robes is a cherished moment for many people who worked in this city newspaper. Somehow, the identity of the Santa Claus was however never known.

Now the best gift Santa Claus can give to all of us is to arrange a reunion in a much happier times..!!!

Till then, Ciao