Thirty years in AB-10, and now Outlook is leaving Safdarjung Enclave, a place from where I started working in the magazine. It was August 16, 1995, when we moved in from the Lodhi Hotel into this building.
Our photo department was on the second floor. Upon reaching office, the photo team was promptly told by our editor, Prashant Panjiar, which section had been allotted to us. I also got to see other departments on various floors of the AB-10 office. The marketing team operated from the ground floor, the senior editors, designers and Vinod occupied the first, while the correspondents and desk worked from the second.
In the pre-digital era, photographs and film rolls were sent by courier or air cargo. The wait for films and photographs to arrive on time was a thrilling experience in itself. So much so, at times Vinod could be seen on the streets waiting for the rider to arrive from the airport. The dark room and photo library found place in a portable cabin on the terrace, which later turned out to be a hot spot for seniors to smoke, unwind, gossip, and hold small get-togethers. In fact, in the early years, few of Outlook’s anniversary parties were held on the roof-top with catering from the now-famous Rajinder Da Dhaba.
The terrace held its own significance as it hosted a number of famous personalities who came there, like Manoj Bajpai, Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, to name a few. While fresh from NSD, Manoj Bajpai posed happily by the roof-top water tanks, Kejriwal and Sisodia held a darbar with the senior editors on the terrace.
The terrace also served as a vantage point for many to keep a watch on Vinod’s movement, when his car arrived and left from the parking below. Most colleagues planned their binge on the terrace after Vinod left. Another source of information were the three shoe-shining boys whom Vinod used to tip generously while coming and leaving office. These children sat outside AB-10 regularly waiting for their ‘Sirjee’ to arrive.
The AB-10 pantry on the terrace was another go-to spot for us. Run by a frail-looking Rawatji, who worked tirelessly for over 15 years serving tea and coffee, and sometimes dal chawal, to all of us.
At AB-10, I had a good professional life with a number of good colleagues. A former employee tells me how they miss the AB-10 vibes and feel nostalgic whenever they pass by this office which has seen many journalists carve out a successful career after working here. Such was the charisma of the AB-10 office that Vinod used to often quip ‘yahan aaram hai’ to any employee wanting to leave Outlook.
