Summer Internship at TOI

As a part of our 'Summer Internship Programme', six students, namely Srishti Chauhan, Yash Sharma, Varun Singh, Saumya Saxena, Pratishtha Kohli and Pranati Haldia got the opportunity to intern in a leading newspaper, The Times of India, for a period of four days. The students explored the office of one of the leading newspapers in the country, and were in awe of the majestic white building which is located at ITO and is popularly known as 'The Times of India Corporate Office.' The students interacted with Mr. Shubhendu Mukherjee, Head of the City News Department, who spoke to them about opting for journalism as a career. He stressed on the fact that the country needed talented journalists to help propel the sector, which is the base of a strong democracy. Mr. Mukherjee told the students that a good journalist must use his/her words simply, yet effectively, so as to create the desired impact on the readers.

Mr. Mukherjee also explained the roles of the different departments that were present in the office, each of which had an important function to play in the publishing of a newspaper. The students were told to research and write on the popular Maggi Noddles ban that has taken the country by storm. The article which was enthusiastically compiled and submitted by the students is as follows. "In this fast paced world, people demand instant gratification. A perfect solution to this problem is Nestls infamous Maggi noodles. The two-minute noodle brand that arrived in the country in the 1980s turned into a staple for the Indian society where it became universal to satisfy sudden hunger pangs. It was a midnight snack, was a canteen blockbuster and was a hostellers saviour. WAS. Kids favorite Nestl product is under speculation in the capital with a ban which has spelled trouble for local shopkeepers, company suppliers as well as families in the Delhi-NCR region. Tests were carried out on random samples from outlets all over the country. Maggi is considered unsafe as it contains high levels of the taste enhancer- monosodium glutamate (MSG). In the capital region, 10 out of 13 samples tested were found to have lead content beyond the 2.5 ppm (permissible limits) which seems to be the main cause of concern. Ms. Veena Singh, a teacher, felt that a justified action has been taken. She said- Anything unhealthy should not be given to growing adults. At this age, they need nutrition, not adulteration. To contradict, college student Aditi Chauhan made a strong remark by saying, I live in a hostel. I have a busy life. Most onights I turn to Maggi for dinner and its consumption has never had any adverse effects on me. The government wont ban tobacco and liquor products but itll ban Maggi which has been in the country since 1980s. I will stop consuming the lethal Maggi the day others stop consuming the legal liquor! "

With a decrease in Maggi sales, there is an evident increase in the worries of the shopkeepers as well. Ramesh Kakkar, a shopkeeper from Kalkaji expressed grief on the lately, extremely unprofitable product and said that, Earlier, a maximum of this product was bought by college students and parents for their children, but after the reports, sales have significantly dropped. People used to buy Maggi in bulk, but now we hardly have 5-10 sales in a month. Another shopkeeper of a prominent departmental store from Greater Kailash said, People are now thinking twice before buying instant noodles. College students used to buy Maggi all the time, but now since the sales have dropped, we have decided not to keep the product. Mr. Tarun Kohli, father of two, talked about the favourite snack going off the shelf in most kitchens and welcomed this action as he feels quality should be the utmost priority. Most parents have appreciated the ban too and think its time to look for alternative snacks, which would be healthier and nutritious. Young children showed resentment towards the change and demanded the noodles return on the grounds of its great taste. Aditya Sharma, a 10 year old said, My mother used to cook Maggi for me every day as an evening snack or as lunch in my tiffin. Now she scolds me if I ask for it or gives me noodles of another company which arent that tasty. I want my old Maggi back. With mixed reactions perplexing the nation, it is hard to say what the governments next move will be. Until then, it would be wiser for people to opt for substitutes." All in all, it was an enriching experience for the students which provided them with a hands-on experience on how journalists collect information by field work, thoroughly research the topic in order to produce a meaningful article which can be published. Ms. Enakshi Rai.