Vineeta Rana, Editor 2017-18 writes her farewell note, bidding goodbye to DU Beat.
I first came across DU Beat during my college research post my Grade 12 examinations and recognised instantly that it was a platform like none other. It had the perfect blend of credible University of Delhi (DU) news that I required and light-hearted college-oriented content that I couldn’t wait to consume as a student studying in the varsity. In one of my first weeks in college, I watched with awe as one of my seniors who worked at DUB distributed a print issue. I wanted so desperately to be involved with the organisation, but when she told me I should apply at the end of my first year, I was doubtful. I wasn’t sure I was good enough for such an esteemed platform and I didn’t want to face the possible rejection. But I went ahead and applied anyway, and I can confidently say that it was the best decision of my college life.
I was recruited as a correspondent but started copyediting only a few months into my tenure, and had the opportunity to realise my passion for print publications by working with DUB’s print core. From getting to cover BITS Pilani’s Oasis with no senior member in the team in my third semester to heading LSR’s Tarang in my fourth, fest season became my favourite time of the year. I couldn’t get over the media privileges and interviews that a press ID card granted me, but more importantly, I couldn’t get over how much fun I had during it all with some of my best friends by my side. Before I knew it, my passion for writing had seamlessly expanded into my passion for the organisation and its members.
By virtue of its dynamism, DUB offers a steep learning curve that is rarely seen in other establishments. My tenure as Editor has been the single greatest learning experience and has taught me through practice what I would not have had the opportunity to learn anywhere else. The 2017-18 team accomplished certain unprecedented feats for the platform – daily videos, regular graphic series, and our first-ever on-ground event, Mushaira, to name a few. All of these projects allowed me to drastically hone my journalistic, interpersonal, and leadership skills. But the extraordinary feature of DUB lies beyond these professional accomplishments.
To an outsider (and even to me when I first joined), DUB is a credible platform for university-related news and a media publication that churns out impressive content on a daily basis. However, being part of this team, and having the privilege of leading it for the past year, has opened my eyes to what this organisation actually is – a team in the truest sense of the word. DUB is made up of the most talented and hardworking individuals in the University of Delhi who come together to fulfil a shared vision of responsible journalism and student-based issues. We pitch in for each other when it is required and take on responsibilities we technically have no obligations to fulfil. I have been lucky enough to work with a team of department heads who have now become my closest confidantes, and even more fortunate to work with an immeasurably skilled team of copyeditors who have played a crucial role in the growth of our newspaper. Moving ahead, I am immensely proud to pass the baton to Kinjal Pandey as Editor and Vijeata Balani and Bhavya Banerjee as Associate Editors for web and print. I am confident that with their leadership, the next year holds great things in store for the platform.
Being a part of DU Beat for the last two years has been the experience of a lifetime and I am beyond grateful to everyone who made the journey as fruitful as it has been. To DUB and all the DUBsters I have ever had the honour of working with, thank you for everything.
Vineeta Rana
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