I was born and brought up in Patna, the capital of Bihar. Thanks to my mother’s untiring efforts, I was admitted to Patna’s Notre Dame Academy. But it wasn’t so much at school than at home that my flair for English literature was discovered and skills developed by my father. I later moved to Delhi University to pursue English Literature at Miranda House. In the three years there, I learnt the foundations of concepts such as gender, diversity, equality and nation — concepts I had long been interested in.
Having successfully completed B.A. Honours, I decided to be a journalist. I worked in India for eight years across print and broadcast media, reporting on a wide range of subjects including theatre, art, crime, terrorism, calamities, infrastructure and health; and specialising in ‘live’ reporting, covering politics, elections, civil unrest and civil aviation. Deciding to get back to studies, I chose Sheffield University for a master’s programme in International Political Communication.
Also known as the ‘steel city’, Sheffield is renowned for its cutlery the world-over. It now boasts of offering one of the best educational experiences for international students in the U.K. Reputed for its studies in journalism, the university offers a variety of courses for students with work experience and provides promising opportunities for research. The International Political Communication degree is especially popular with international students — it explores media, power and democracy across the world, and ideas such as ‘post-truth’ politics and ‘fake news’. There are visits to the U.K. Parliament in London and BBC studios.
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The transition from master’s to a PhD programme was a natural one. As a researcher, I am encouraged to teach and give presentations on areas other than my research topic — a comparison between the role perceptions and journalistic practices of Indian and British conflict reporters. At present, I assist in teaching four courses in the journalism department.
Research facilities
The Department of Journalism Studies has a dedicated office space for research students. Your account on the university’s computer network allows you to use a range of office software, statistical packages and online journals. You can access your files by WiFi on campus and through a remote access system at home.
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The study support around the university is excellent. The award-winning Information Commons is the ultimate study space — more than a library, more than an IT centre. One can get access to millions of books any time they want.
As a PhD student, you’ll also get support from the Social Sciences Doctoral Training Centre that will help in developing your research skills and provide tremendous opportunities to network with other researchers.
Sheffield has been my home for the last four years. It is safe for students (read women) and is multicultural (read several south-Indians, Japanese and West Asian restaurants). It has a vibrant creative arts community, legendary music scene and is home to the world’s oldest football club. It has more parks and woodland than any other city in the U.K., striking Victorian and modern architecture, large shopping spaces, quaint cafes, seven hills, five rivers and two-and-a-half million trees.
The writer is a PhD student at the department of journalism studies, University of Sheffield, U.K.