Nanny, oh no!

You know what. It is easier to buy a flat in Pune than get a really good babysitter. God only knows what my office colleagues have gone thro...

You know what. It is easier to buy a flat in Pune than get a really good babysitter. God only knows what my office colleagues have gone through. If I had once written about the travails of finding a flat, it8217;s perhaps high time to dwell on how tough it is to zero in on a competent babysitter.

It8217;s an uneasy feeling. The minute you feel happy about how well Shakuntalabai is looking after the little one, something just has to go wrong. She was so good that her former employers won her back. Sadly, I fail to retain her. I offer to double her salary and even shed a few tears. But it was not to be.

What was really sad about the episode was she left after the toddler had finally taken a liking for her. Specially after the five-month-old snob had initially refused to acknowledge her presence. But this bai from Sawantwadi refused to be snubbed. And yes, she transformed him. He gurgled and laughed out loud when she called him. And then the bombshell.

Oh well, c8217;est la vie. Back to square one. The hunt begins. Word spreads. The woman from Flat number 301 is on the lookout for a bai. The security watchman starts sending maids. They come in various size and with various attitudes. If one is chewing tobacco, the other8217;s nails are filthy. If one8217;s husband is a regular wife beater, the other is deaf in one ear. Then there are some who insist on their transportation costs being covered. Never mind the money offered for the job. Please take care of the conveyance which is suitably jacked up. The search is now narrowed down to a distance of 100 metres from our residence. The eligible women, unfortunately, were not child friendly.

Colleagues offer help. They suggest maids in their areas. Neighbours pitch in. Relatives offer to look after the little one. As for a creche. No way.

Eureka. That8217;s when we hit upon what we thought was a novel idea 8212; to contact hospitals and doctors. They would know and they did. But as luck would have it, the best of the ayahs had been already taken. As each evening passed by, I would be at the phone calling agencies and ringing up homes for destitute women. Were we being finicky? Certainly not. Met nuns and appealed to parish priests. Yes, we will definitely let you know, they assured us.

Just two days left to return to work. Something has to work fast. My maid who washes utensils and is eight month pregnant herself takes pity on me. She volunteers to take care of the child for a week. And the child likes her. A little more relaxed, we keep up the search.

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Then one day the doorbell rings. A lady who speaks English, Hindi and Konkani, who seems soft-spoken and seems to like children, was at our door. Is she the one? Don8217;t know yet.

Anuradha Mascarenhas

Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues . Professional Background Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature. Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO. Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives. Awards and Recognition Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.” Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) 1. Cancer & Specialized Medical Care "Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells" (Nov 26, 2025): Reporting on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. Discipline, diet and purpose; How a 97-year-old professor defies ageing'' (Nov 15, 2025) Report about Prof Gururaj Mutalik, the first Head of Department at Pune's B J Government Medical College who at 97 credits his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose. 2. Environmental Health (The "Breathless Pune" Series) Long-term exposure even to 'moderate' air leads to chronic heart, lung, kidney issues" (Nov 26, 2025): Part of an investigative series highlighting that even "safe" pollution levels are damaging to vital organs. "For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was 6-8% jump in medicine sales" (Nov 23, 2025): Using commercial data to prove the direct link between air quality and respiratory illnesses in Pune. 3. Lifestyle & Wellness News "They didn't let cancer, diabetes and heart disease stop them from travelling" (Dec 22, 2025): A collaborative piece featuring survivors who share practical tips for traveling with chronic conditions. At 17, his BP shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study flags why child and teen hypertension doubled between 2000 and 2020'' (Nov 12,2025)--A report that focusses on 17-year-old-boy's hypertensive crisis and reflects the rising global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents. 4. Scientific Recognition & Infrastructure For promoting sci-comm, gender diversity: IUCAA woman prof highlighted in Nature" (Nov 25, 2025): Covering the global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics. Pune researchers find a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe'' (December 3, 2025)- A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe was just 1.5 billion years old , one of the earliest to have been observed so far. Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions. ... Read More