London, Feb. 1: Inderdeep Bains, 26-year-old chief reporter on the Royal Borough Observer, a weekly newspaper in Berkshire, has brought new meaning to the expression, “hot off the press”.
She is offering a dinner date with herself on February 14 to raise money for victims of the Haiti earthquake.
Her paper has pitched Inderdeep as the top prize among those who donate at least £20 to the cause.
“Single men looking for love this Valentine’s Day have a once-in-a-lifetime chance to date the Observer’s ravishing reporter Inderdeep Bains,” is how the tempting offer is billed.
The Observer adds: “Readers can win the opportunity to impress Inderdeep, known affectionately in the newsroom as Inders, during a romantic dinner which will raise vital cash for the Disasters Emergency Committee’s Haiti Earthquake Appeal. The lucky man will wine and dine our hack over a slap-up three course meal at a luxury hotel.”
The innovative scheme has caught the eye of a national newspaper which notes in its diary column: “Local newspaper hottie offers Valentine’s date to raise Haiti cash.”
It points it up: “Here’s a fundraiser with a difference. The Royal Borough Observer’s chief reporter has offered a Valentine’s Day date with herself as top prize in a Haiti fundraiser.”
Inderdeep herself is quoted as saying: “Local businesses have been kind enough to donate some fantastic prizes to help us raise money which is desperately needed for a very worthy cause. I hope people in Slough and Windsor will dig deep into their pockets to help us raise as much money as possible.”
Today, Inderdeep talked to The Telegraph. “This is meant to be fun,” she said.
“I come from a traditional Sikh family who have always supported me and encouraged me in my career. As a Punjabi Sikh, I’m extremely proud of my background and I think it is important that I always hold on to my heritage as well as embracing my life in Britain. I feel blessed to be living between two very different cultures. Naturally, there are conflicts and contradictions, but the benefits easily override these.”
She was born in London, the daughter of Sikh migrants from Punjab, and has a younger brother and an older sister. “My father came in the 1970s in his teens and went back to marry my mother. He works as a builder, my mother in security.”
She sees herself very much as a reporter interested in hard news stories. “I like to do breaking news. Since Slough (the paper’s circulation area) has a big Sikh population, I do a lot of stories about Sikhs.”
Since Windsor, too, is in the circulation area, all reporters, including Inderdeep, tend to cover royal stories as well.
Inderdeep, who wants to raise £250 (Rs 18,750), has already been pledged £180 (Rs 13,500).
“Please PLEASE make me happy on Valentine’s Day,” pleaded one donor, entering the spirit of the enterprise.
Another warned: “Good luck with all the fund raising! Let’s hope you don’t end up with some weirdo!”
Inderdeep is looking forward to the dinner date and th ere will not be policemen in plainclothes sitting on the next table. However, “there will be precautions”, she laughed.
