Summary

Breaking news journalist and editor with experience at the Toronto Star and international bylines. Skilled in fast-turn reporting and editing across crime, politics and culture for digital audiences. Technical skills include web scraping and visualization using Typescript. Fluent in English and Hindi with conversational skills in Punjabi.

Experience
Freelance Writer/Reporter
Sep 2024 – present
  • •Regular contributor covering entertainment, culture, and live events for major outlets including Toronto Star, The Globe and Mail, Exclaim! and The Tribune
  • •Reported fast-turn coverage around major live cultural events, including reporting leading upto and including Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour opening night in Toronto
  • •Invited to speak to student journalists at a panel at the annual 2025 NASH student journalism conference
    • Staff Reporter, Waterloo Region Record
    Sep 2024 – Jan 2025
  • •Regularly identified and pitched timely local stories with broader relevance as a general assignment reporter covering universities, hospitals, public institutions and community news
  • •Filed quick turnaround stories and updates across multiple desks including city, national, entertainment, politics and business aligned with digital publishing priorities
  • •Worked live breaking news shifts in the radio room, covering crime, emergencies and developing stories
  • •Monitored police channels, social media and press releases in real time to verify and escalate breaking stories
  • •Supported editors and other reporters by building background files, confirming facts and tracking developing situations under tight deadlines
    • Sep 2022 – Apr 2023
  • •Managed a newsroom of 10 editors and 50+ reporters, overseeing weekly publication and digital-first coverage
  • •Led editorial meetings and made final calls on story selection, framing and placement
  • •Edited 8–15 articles per week for accuracy, tone and legal risk as well as directed production workflows and layouts
  • •Introduced video coverage to expand digital reach and audience engagement
  • •Coordinated closely with social media staff to optimize story promotion and audience growth
  • •Moderated the student government presidential debate for three consecutive years (2022–2024), managing live discussion and audience engagement
    • Sep 2021 – Aug 2022
  • •Pitched, wrote, and edited coverage of student life, popular media and local arts and culture
  • •Edited contributors’ copy to ensure clarity, tone consistency, and adherence to editorial standards
    • Awards
    John H. McDonald Awards 2024, Canadian University Press (CUP)
  • •Imprint Staff won Best Op-ed Award for the editorial: "It happened. What are we going to do about it?"
    • Best Newspapers Competition 2023, Ontario Community Newspaper Association
  • •Honourable Mention in Student News Writing for "Hate motivated stabbing at Hagey Hall: Timeline of events"
  • •Imprint was runner-up for General Excellence: College & University
    • Education
    Sep 2022 – Apr 2023
  • •Mentored by industry professionals and attended biweekly journalism workshops.
    • University of Waterloo, Mathematics
    Sep 2019 – Dec 2024