Divya Nair remembers the work friendships that proved some of life's strongest bonds are built beyond the cubicle.
When I think of friends who became family, I realise that I have been blessed with more than just a few.
Who would have imagined that the people I work with, would become friends for life and leave behind such lasting memories?
I was 18 when I landed an internship with The Times of India.
My first manager Peter -- who retired a few months ago -- was nearly two decades older than me.
Peter wasn't just my mentor. He became a dear friend and family member to all of us who started our careers with him.
Back in 2005, we were a growing team of 10 to 15 young professionals, mostly in our early 20s, either still studying or fresh out of college, figuring out our first jobs.
The paid internship came with a challenge -- we had to convince native and non-English-speaking readers to invest in a tabloid (Mumbai Mirror) that was yet to launch.
Each of us was assigned a region/housing society/newspaper stall where we had to sell or pre-book subscriptions.
Some of us were fortunate while the majority of us weren't even allowed to enter housing societies. Any other manager would have expected us to figure it out on our own. But Peter led by example.
He wore a temporary ID card, carried the sales kit and accompanied two of the boys to demonstrate how to make a call.
He parked his bike and walked with us in the sun, telling us stories of how he started his career in sales. That day, something shifted in all of us.
He took every piece of feedback seriously and created a warm, healthy work environment where all of us could freely express our concerns, support one another and grow together.
When he learned that some of us were mass communication and journalism students, Peter offered us the flexibility to structure our workday as long as we could deliver the results.
Unlike other colleagues in other regions who had to work full-time and risked losing their jobs if they fell short, the trust and flexibility Peter had in his team-mates ensured that all of us had a healthy work-life balance.
Personally, I was able to work in the mornings, attend college in the afternoon and complete my deadlines by 7-8 pm.
We would report to work twice a day -- at 7.15 am and 8.30 pm. If any of us couldn't make it, Peter would check in to make sure we were doing alright.
Even as a resourceful manager who eventually became our friend, Peter taught us the value of teamwork and perseverance and rewarded those who worked hard without bias.
When our team outperformed, some of us were invited to Bennett Coleman and Company Limited to share our experiences and learnings with the top management.
As everyone clapped for us, Peter stood there in a corner watching us talk and get acknowledged for our hard work.
As a friend and mentor, Peter taught us the value of being financially independent and encouraged us to save and invest for our future.
Though some of us had quit the internship to pursue studies, that year, on Friendship Day, Peter invited everyone to celebrate with him and explained to us the importance of networking and how we must help each other in our careers.
After completing my graduation, I was offered a role in the sales and marketing department which I politely declined to pursue a full time career in journalism.
Today, 22 years later, the group I interned with still catches up over quick lunches, birthdays and special occasions.
Peter must have trained several youngsters like us before he retired.
But he always remembers to call or text us on our birthdays, anniversaries and special occasions.
People often say it's easy to find good friends at work.
If you ask me, it's easy to find people to grab a coffee with, share lunch breaks or vent over a drink or a smoke while you're working in the same organisation.
But the real test of a workplace friendship comes the day you put in your papers.
Amid the excitement of starting a new chapter, if saying goodbye feels far heavier than you ever imagined, chances are you haven't just found colleagues. You've found friends for life.
I have been incredibly lucky to meet some amazing co-workers who went on to become my extended family.
Apart from Peter, I also met Babbu and Juhi during the same internship. Though we barely spent a week working together, Babbu and Juhi became my closest buddies after we quit.
Babbu is one of the few friends with whom I shared the joy of buying my first home at the age of 25.
Even though our work schedules got hectic, we would find time to call, text or check up on each other.
After my wedding was fixed, I was juggling so much that Babbu offered to help Amma with most of the wedding shopping.
He welcomed my relatives and stayed up late throughout the week, making sure every little detail was taken care of.
Years later, Juhi and I travelled together to work, making new friends during the hour-long train journey.
Despite her busy schedule, Juhi attended my baby shower and house warming ceremony and was one of my biggest cheerleaders.
A few months ago, I attended Babbu's daughter's birthday celebration along with my son and all those beautiful memories came rushing back.
While remembering workplace buddies, I must thank my team at Times-NIE, where I worked with two illustrators and designers, both named Sandeep, sub-editor Pallavi and fellow journalist Srishti.
It was my first full-time job and we worked between 4 pm to 12 pm, sometimes extending up to 1 and 2 am.
Between chasing impossible deadlines for the daily edition to singing antakshari on our midnight cab rides home and lifting me up after my first heartbreak, I still don't know the exact moment when these seemingly strange, quirky co-workers quietly became my strongest support system.
Sandy, who lived in Thane, wouldn't go to sleep until he received a text from me confirming that I had reached home safely in Kalyan (part of Thane district).
He has been so affectionate that my mother treats him like he is my elder brother. Since Sandy doesn't have a sibling, Srishti and I became his rakhi sisters.
In the last 19 years, some of us got married, had children. Sandy lost his parents. Pallavi lost her father.
We've seen each other at our best and stood together through the worst.
Today our family feels bigger. We work in different firms and our schedules rarely match.
Yet, a few years ago, when I told them I was missing my little brother on Onam, they self-invited themselves at home and made sure we enjoyed a sumptuous Onasadhya together.
During Covid, if any of us felt lonely or low, it was almost mandatory to make a late-night call and laugh until our jaws ached.
Over the last 20 years, we've stood by one another through grief, celebrations and every season in between, always knowing we could count on each other.
Recently, on my 40th birthday, they all turned up with the sweetest little surprises and made sure I celebrated the milestone in style.
These are friends who I don't call or text every day. But time has never been a barrier when it comes to the bond we share.
And then there are colleagues like Mahesh who helped me design my wedding invitation, Sridhar who took candid pictures at my wedding and Purva who played cupid by bringing my husband and me together.
Looking back at these 22 years, I have realised one thing.
Our jobs may change. We may even change cities, move offices and drift apart in different directions.
While some of us are busy chasing deadlines and milestones, we meet co-workers who quietly stand by us through life's toughest moments, becoming the family we never expected to find beyond work.
If you have a co-worker who became your friend and has stayed through your life's most meaningful chapters, they deserve to be celebrated.
