It's your right to write

WRITING is a passion I have courted since I was in primary school. A dream come true was when the erstwhile editor of this august publication, Brijlall Ramguthee, invited me to submit a test column to appraise the possibility of my having a regular spot in the paper.

- RAVI GOVENDER

This was not a simple or rash decision on his part as anyone knowing the gentleman would attest the fact that he is thorough in everything he does.

So, he had been watching my regular letters which I used to submit to the letters’ column and had approved many for publication.

My test column was a piece on the legendary watering hole of the past — the iconic Himalaya Hotel. Ramguthee enjoyed it, especially the nostalgic touch and the rest is history. Or should I say MY story.

In keeping with the theme that I started in that initial column, the editor aptly named the series to follow, “Down Memory Lane”. Very soon, the column became popular and enjoyed a good, loyal following.

Ramguthee, ever the visionary, then devised a second column for me to helm.

Slightly similar to the first one, he strategised a column that brought back articles from the past issues of this newspaper.

This to be done in strict chronological order. It was not as easy as it sounds.

Hard copies of past issues were rare, especially the golden years of the POST.

However, past copies are preserved on microfilm in certain libraries. Miniature photos of each page are on microfilm. These are run through a microfiche machine, reel by reel, and it is magnified on to the screen. I would then select portions which I deemed fit to reproduce and send it to a photocopying machine to print as hard copy.