At the pinnacle of glory: Acting Managing Editor

The Peninsula turns 25 today. It is a profound moment for everyone. A moment of happiness and pride for all. The newspaper underwent many changes ever since its launch by Dar Al Sharq Group on March 9, 1996. The achievements of the former Editors-in-Chief — Nasser Al Othman, Abdul Aziz Al Mahmoud, Dr. Ahmed Abdulmalik, Abdul Latif Abdullah Al Mahmoud, Khalid Al Sayed and Dr. Khalid Al Jaber, and their efforts to prop up the newspaper during their time are commendable. Each of them was distinct in their own vision, way and style. 

Looking back at the years gone by, very few have had the privilege to work with stalwarts, The Peninsula has ever seen. Here is a brief overview of what I can recollect from the time I joined the newspaper on August 15, 1997. 

Malcolm Ward was the first Managing Editor. The team he had was stellar. Mathew Lynch, Abdul Mannan, Ashok Dutta, Ravi Kumar, Ashwin Honawar,  Moiz Mannan, the late Mobin Pandit (Let the Almighty rest his soul in peace), Roy George, Viswanath Sarma, Ramaswamy, Sebastian, and Ranjit Bhaskar, to name a few. Many left shores for a better opportunity later but some stayed for long years. Each of them played the role assigned to them with their unique skills and efficiency. 

Malcom Ward was followed by George Abraham, a gem of a person with an always-welcoming persona, extending a helping hand to all and excellent communication skills. With the need to target the growing school-going student population, The Peninsula Young Editors came into being. Many new faces joined the newspaper during his stint, some of whom still exist. After his departure, Bala Chandran took the helm, to be followed by Parvez Khusro. It was during the time of Rachel Morris that the newspaper introduced the graphic element in pages. The weekend editions were four different sections, including Oasis, a tabloid special. 

After Khalid Al Sayed took the helm, Parvez Khusro again took charge for a brief period followed by Hussian Ahmad. In the initial year, a back office was started in Manila, Philippines, which was later shut down. This was followed by a similar back office in Mumbai where some pages were made and sent. It was during his time that weekend investigative reports, written by the late Mobin Pandit, and Mohamad Iqbal on many issues made raves and was popular among the readers. Oasis gave way and re-emerged as Doha Today. The online section was at its infancy during the time. 

Supplements were the mainstay of The Peninsula. The Advertisement Department led by Ali Wahba in the early years, and later by Sushil Menon and his team to date gave the newspaper enough revenues in the form of Ads in the main newspaper as well as the many supplements it did almost every month of any given year. 

Dr. Khalid Bin Mubarak Al-Shafi took over as the Editor-in-Chief of The Peninsula on September 14, 2015. He joined the newspaper with the task of turning around a newspaper that existed in the market for years but few people knew. He gave a facelift to the newspaper with a new approach. 

Employees who completed 18 years with The Peninsula were given Certificate of Excellence. It was a moment of achievement, a recongnition of years of hardwork and dedication for the employees who received the award.

The Peninsula was the first to publish two special supplements on a monthly basis. TRAVEL & TOURISM was published for more than three years until the blockade emerged, and PUBLIC HEALTH has been continuing to date. In fact, during the early days of COVID-19, The Peninsula was the first to publish a special supplement only on the pandemic. The newspaper, has through the years, covered all news related to coronavirus, local and international, more than any other newspaper in Qatar, a feat unmatched.  
Dr. Al-Shafi maintained excellent rapport with all embassies. Many Ambassadors called on him at his office, where the latter briefed the them about the evolution of the newspaper to its present stage, and the functioning of the various sections.  The online section saw expansion. The strength of the section was increased. Attention to every detail was reviewed and implemented. Coverage of local news and events, and global news increased. The Photographers did their part by sending live coverages of all events. The Peninsula started receiving more hits and thus became the talk of the town in just a few months. Doha Today was revived to cater to needs of the diverse community. Also Pen Junior, a children's magazine, was launched, the first issue coming out in March 2020.  

Last but not the least, I take pride in proving my loyalty and dedication in whatever roles I have been assigned with, in The Peninsula. 

The Peninsula thanks all its readers and advertisers for their trust, support and loyalty all through these years.