Struggle of a working woman journalist
By Yogesh Pokharel
May be because of the beautiful voice, her hobby was to sing. And she had a dream of becoming a good singer. When she would call on radio programmes and sing Nepali folk songs, many people would appreciate her voice, which would further encourage her kick offher singing career. However, within the span of 10/12 years, her hoppy of singing has totally changed. GaganshilaKhadkais a popular name in Nepali journalism sector today.
Khadka has been practicing journalism from Gulmi, a remote district, in the country. However, the awards and prizes she has received have encouraged her to continue with her profession. "I had not thought so many people will know me from this profession as I am working from mofussil," she says. "But I realised that hard work and struggle always payyou wherever you are," she added.
In around 2063BS, there would be no newspapers in the village. The opening of FM radios in Palpa had created ample opportunities for the new journalists. However, she, who was at class ten, was still more inclined towards folk songs rather than in journalism. She would not detach her from radio while studying or working at home. She also started to sing Nepali folk songs in various FM radio programmes when the CDMA phone reached her village. Not only this, when people started to praise her voice in the FM radios, she wished for running an FM radio programme herself.
She got an opportunity to take RJ training when she was in the district headquarters, Tamghas. New FM radios were being established in the district. She was selected for the training, but she also got the bad news of the demise of her grandfather at the same time. She would not want to miss the opportunity, so she managed to stay at Tamghas on condition of supporting to her brothers during their exam. She also got selected for RJ among more than 100 competitors. At the beginning, she started running Nepali folk song programme in line with her hobby and read news along with the programme. But she chose to be a journalist when she understood the importance of news. "When I realised the importance of news, I started enjoying it. So, I became a journalist in the cost of my singing career," she says.
The 25 years old girl is the first working woman journalist in the district. She remains busy reporting for national newspapers all the day. She has to be everywhere in the district, carrying pen, notebook and camera, along with her male journalist friends. She has to be alone wherever she goes for work. She has to face a number of problems while working with male colleagues. In remote villages, she gets a number of troubles but she is never tired.
Gaganshila had started journalism at the age of 16. However, she has successfully established her as a good journalist in the country within a very short span of time. People would say that journalism is difficult for women. My family also always suggested not choosingthis field."It was not an easy job for an unmarried girl to go place to place at any time. Besides, the society is still conservative and the people do not accept girls doing such jobs. They often criticized me and blame me for nothing, which might have created problems in my family affairs," she says. However, I nevertook it seriously and so did my family. I never faced any obstruction from my family. I had rather got a lot of support from my family to pursue my career in journalism.
Now, she has carried her study and her jobs together. She has managed her studies and radio, television and reporting for newspaper simultaneously. Her reporting has rescued and helped provide justice for many. Therefore, she never quit journalism despite severe ups and downs in her life. The awards and love of people further encouraged her to work hard. Her hard work and struggle has really paid her now. She has received more than half a dozen quite prestigious national level awards so far. She has receivedActive Journalism Award 2068, Radio Kantipur Journalism Award 2070, Education Journalism Award 2070, Regional Education Journalism Award 2071, Corruption Reduction Journalism Award, Struggling Woman Journalism Award, Gulmi News Journalism Award, among others.
Besides journalism, Khadka is equally involved in various social activities. She is involved in Women Human Rights Protection Network and District level Communication Monitoring Committee of the Ministry of Information and Communication. She says that the opportunity never comes to you, you have to search it and struggle for achieving success.
