'Hello lady' no more...

Gone is the voice which many Bernamaians are accustomed to.

After 36 years of dedicated service, friendly telephone operator K.Devika S.Krishnan has retired.

“Of course I will miss Bernama…Bernama is in my blood,” said Devika, who retired on 25 September upon reaching 60.

She said she was grateful to Bernama for providing a good career, noting that “my pension is also because I had worked in Bernama’.

She even felt gratified of being promoted prior to her retirement.

Devika will not forget the day she went for the job interview in 1982 after seeing a notice for the telephone operator post at Bernama.

She was then working for Telekom after a brief spell at the once Jayapuri Hotel and a  nurse at Assunta Hospital in Petaling Jaya.

“The interview was conducted by Wan Mustapha, Zainal Hasnan and S.Visvakumar.

“They really needed an Indian girl to become an operator.

“They asked me where I was working and my hometown.

“When I said I was from Labu, Wan Mustapha asked Visva where he was from.

“Visva said he was from Lobak.

“That was funny because I was from Labu and he from Lobak…Labu and Lobak..I will not forget that,” said Devika explaining that Labu and Lobak could be considered as vegetables.  

Now that she is retired, Devika said she would have time to concentrate on her food and online business.

“The internet provides opportunities for pensioners to venture into online businesses.

“I don’t have writing skills like reporters who could continue as part-time staff in Bernama after retirement, but there are other things that I can do online,” said Devika who also deals in insurance.

For Deepavali, she said she would have her own time to celebrate as she was no longer tied to duty roster.

“When I was working, I did not take many days for the celebration,” said Devika who now also took orders to make the favourite snack --  vada.

Having travelled to places like Switzerland, France, Turkey, Australia and Germany, Devika said she was planning to go to Ireland next year where her sister is staying.

“I plan to learn about flower arrangement and do social work for one and a half month.

“As I had been trained as a nurse before joining Bernama, doing social work like  caring for the aged is something that I look forward to,” said Devika, who is taking care of her 77 year-old mother.

“My father taught me to respect others, if you are sombong (arrogant), you will not go far,”  said the mother of three.

Devika said retirement did not mean an end for anyone but a new phase to move on in life.

“You don’t have to feel sad because you are now a pensioner and worry that you might have no income, there are opportunities if you are prepared to work on them,” she said.