Summer Internship with Aam Aadmi Party – Rajshree Gupta from Shri Ram College of Commerce

Daily Winner for: –  4th August 2013

Name of the intern: – Rajshree Gupta

Institute: –  Shri Ram College of Commerce

Organization interned with: –  Aam Aadmi Party

“Jai Hind!”

We are glad to confirm your internship. Congratulations!

As communicated to you by our party member your internship will be of minimum 2 months starting on 1st June, 2013. You need to report at 10:30 AM on 1st at A-119, Kaushambi, Ghaziabad (Opp Angel Mall).”

I still remember my ecstasy when I read this mail on 10th April, 2013. This was something I really wanted to be a part of to utilize my summer breaks because my political knowledge was nearly zero. And yes! I got it. Was this that I wanted? Oh. Yes!

After the exams, there was my first ever internship waiting for me. I was excited. I reached there on time on the date I was asked to come. There I met my Internship mentor, a very cool and chilled-out person. Here and there were people with the most respected caps of Aam aadmi Party. It was so thrilling to be in such a political atmosphere. I heard people talking about different political and social groups, latest news and problems prevailing in various areas of Delhi. Oh my God! So many political discussions and I was getting everything slowly-slowly. Was this that I wanted? Oh. Yes!

Then started the main work. I was told to do the entries of all the local representatives on the spreadsheet. The data was huge and I was screwed on the very first task I was told to do. From the next day, I and other two interns with our mentor started visiting representatives’ house to meet them and to solve their area’s problems. With Delhi’s temperature on its peak, simple floaters on my feet, I first time experienced what is field work! Within three days, my skin tanned like it had never before. I used to reach home completely exhausted. Was this that I wanted? Oh. No!

After two-three weeks like this, I started feeling confident about my political knowledge. Then came something unexpected. I was asked to take care of one complete area. I was baffled. I was there to learn, to research about politics or local issues, not to be involved in it like this. Was this that I wanted? Absolutely, No!

I started working in that area alone. I met new people. I interacted and helped them in all the ways I could. After hectic mornings and hot afternoons, all the party members working nearby used to gather at the office to relax. We used to talk about the responses and problems of the people, corruption in the system, its solutions and much more. I saw the face of Delhi that I now think; I would never have if I hadn’t done his internship. I saw the plight of people and guided them with best of my knowledge and by asking other members of the party. I was in love with the work I was doing. We all became like a family. I knew that just a couple of weeks more and all this would be no more in my life.

Last part of my internship was “surveys”. It cleared my misconception of field work. During my survey work, I realised those meetings were actually a very small image of field work. Nearly ten hours out of home, on the field, collecting data with sun on the top, there we all interns worked together, I didn’t know some of them. I was missing that political environment because then we were all interns so we just enjoying in our own way that wasn’t too political. But, again something very good happened: Bonding. We all worked together for a week, in all odd situations, finished our targets, got the certificates and went our ways with a smile of achieving something really worthy.

I now think, at many places I used to be the only girl in the team, I used to go to the most backward places of Delhi, I visited slums too, with almost new people every time. I never felt like thinking twice before attempting anything new. What a work culture there was! I admit that I hadn’t seen a single beautiful place during this period inspite of being at new place every alternate week but I know that I visited those places of Delhi that I might not have in my whole life time. I made friends there, no, I got a family there. Was this that I wanted? NO. I wanted less. I got more than that. :’)

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If you wish to participate, send in your entry here: http://www.internshala.com/your-internship-story