The former retail reporter talked about how his best stories came from what he noticed in the paan shops he frequented, underlining the need for journalists to step out of the newsroom to find good stories and understand consumer sentiment.

He urged aspiring retail reporters to try to look at issues through the eyes of the consumer and to zoom in on products that seemed too good to be true. 

Mitra, who has worked with publications including Times Of India, Mint and Business Standard, also explained how supply chains work and how each ingredient that went into a product could lead to a potential story. 

He also advised the Class of 2021 to cover issues that people really cared about, knowing that they could range from how a popular noodle brand gained from poor regulation to how a self-proclaimed Godman pushed approval for his company’s products.