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AAs a journalist covering Maharashtra, I travel across the state frequently. These tasks involve more than just researching and packing. The first step is to contact journalists from local police, activists, academics and other organizations. Talking to different people provides reporters with context, different perspectives and, more importantly, nuance on the issues they are covering.
Along the way, I met a lot of people who I consider to be the silent architects behind the most compelling stories. They are regional reporters. I try to meet many of them in person, but most of our interactions are primarily over the phone. These reporters have an in-depth understanding of local customs and customs, and have connections in every corner. They stay in the background and rarely seek recognition. They provided valuable guidance and insights but are not expected to be cited or mentioned in the final article. They help only because they share the goal of journalists, which is to shine a light on truths that might otherwise be obscured.
Recently, I interacted with Bhagwat Taware, Beed’s regional reporter, and Kailash Tawar, an insurance agent and farmer from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, where I was covering farmer suicides. They took time out of their day jobs to help me understand this issue and engage with more people. They travel with me in their respective regions.
Those seeking help were not just reporters from metro and English-language publications, but also reporters from other cities. Foreign journalists also rely heavily on them. They are a source we cannot live without. They may even feel proud when journalists who report on a story they helped uncover receive an award, as their contribution is indirectly recognized.
In addition to providing information, these people also provide hospitality. They treat us as guests.
“Recognition is not what I am looking for. What is important to us is that you came all the way from Mumbai to shine a light on the struggles faced by the people here. “People in Delhi will read your report and they will know their The government hid the data,” Mr Tavel explained to me on the way to the village.
Sometimes I feel like they take my reporting more seriously than I do. As we interacted with the families of the farmers who died in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, Mr. Thawar mastered my interview style, personally initiating the conversation and preparing the interviewees for the camera. He even asked me to interview an unscheduled farming family, saying “they had an interesting story to tell.”
In February last year, when I visited Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu to report on how a woman and her family were heartbroken after a nine-year-old tribal boy was brutally killed in a human sacrifice case . A local journalist who had covered the case extensively accompanied me to the victim’s home and even acted as translator.
It’s not always journalists who help in this way. Local taxi drivers are important allies in these missions. Their knowledge of the area, knowledge of the local culture, and proficient sailing skills make them indispensable companions. While they may not be wielding a pen or camera, their contributions are often seen in the stories I tell.
In order to write stories, journalists need to make connections, understand reality and find voices worth listening to. Journalism is not a solitary endeavor; This is a collaborative effort in which many people play vital roles and deserves to be recognized and appreciated.
deshpande.abhinay@thehindu.co.in
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