‘The fellowship’s finest feature was that it was devoid of strings,’ says SAJF grant recipient

With over 15 years of journalism experience, Nitindra Nath Bandyopadhyay began his career as a student contributor for Hindustan Times’ Campus Beat section in 2009. After completing his Master’s in English from Delhi University and journalism studies at IIJNM, Bengaluru, he joined The Pioneer in Chandigarh in 2012. Since then, Bandyopadhyay has worked with prominent media outlets like Hindustan Times, The New Indian Express, and The Bangalore Mirror, covering stories across Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, New Delhi, and Bengaluru.

Currently a freelance journalist in West Bengal, his focus lies on women and child health and sustainability. Growing up in the small district of Begusarai, Bihar, Bandyopadhyay was exposed to the change journalism can bring at a young age. “A friend of my father, who owned a printing press and ran his own newspaper, often shared with me the story of the king and the tailor, emphasising that journalists, like the child who exclaimed that the king was naked, have the challenging task of speaking truth to power,” he pointed out.

And as he grew older, the works of P. Sainath, particularly those compiled in his book “Everybody Loves a Good Drought,” further inspired him. In 2018, the developmental and health reporter explored the reach of the government’s Mental Health Program and its impact on the rural community in general and farmer’s suicide in particular along the drought-prone regions of Karnataka. The focus of the study was to explore farmer’s suicide from a mental health perspective.

This passionate project led him to win a grant of INR 3 lakh from the Svran-Apeejay Journalism Foundation (SAJF). In this interview, Bandyopadhyay talks about his various project works ad shares a word of advice for budding journalists:

Could you share some insights into your previous work on women and child development and how it prepared you for your project on mental health in rural communities?

I began my career as a health writer for the Pioneer, and the beat has been near to my heart ever since. However, owing to organisational requirements, I was occasionally assigned other beats, but Health Reporting was always a personal favorite. So, I was assigned the beat again, and as I evolved as a reporter, I understood that there is a significant lack of positive work being done on the subject of Women and Child Health and that it is critical to report on it widely.

What motivated you to delve into the issue of farmer suicides through the lens of mental health, particularly in drought-prone regions of Karnataka?

The idea occurred to me while attending a small seminar at the National Institute of Health and Neurosciences on community involvement in raising awareness about mental health issues. It was a fascinating program focused on educating faith healers and community leaders about mental health treatment. During the seminar, I learned that many farmers in rural Karnataka committed suicide due to mental health difficulties. Still, the mainstream media mainly presented it as a financial trap. During my field trip, I realised that, in addition to the debt trap, mental health issues such as depression and a lack of emotional support were also contributing factors to farmer suicide, but they were not being addressed.

Can you elaborate on the interventions introduced under the Mental Health Policy that you covered/explored in your project, and how they aimed to address the issue of farmer suicides?

After one of my pieces was published in The Bangalore Mirror, the state government decided to extend the community assistance program, and at the same time, discussions were held on adopting a similar program under the National Health Mission. However, I relocated out of state and cannot provide an accurate program status.

How did you navigate the complexities of mental health stigma and awareness in rural communities? What specific outcomes or changes you achieved through your project, both in terms of policy impact and community empowerment?

I believe the most critical aspect of handling any stigmatised topic is to approach it with empathy. People are willing to talk if they meet the proper person. During my reporting days, many of the folks I met willingly went to their local primary healthcare clinics to seek depression therapy after being advised to do so. However, in a few districts, such as Haveri and Bellari, it was impossible to approach females who had experienced suicide in their families and were of marriageable age. In such circumstances, I sought assistance from local Auxiliary Nursing Midwives (ANM) and other female support workers while rigorously protecting the identities of my sources.

How the SAJF grant of INR 3 lakh supported you to pursue your dream of work?

The fellowship’s finest feature was that it was devoid of strings. I am grateful to SAJF for never interfering with my job, which allowed me plenty of flexibility to carry it out and learn more. Compared to most other fellowships in India, SAJF provides a sizable sum of current journalistic standards. I would advise most early and mid-level journalists who want to explore a topic close to their hearts to apply for the grant because it provides a lot of autonomy and, if you can manage the funds well, it will give you a lot of support to carry out some outstanding work.