Before 1940

Before 1940

The house was newly built with 2 large rooms on the ground floor and 2 on the first floor with good size verandahs for each room. There were lean-tos on both sides for garage, staircase, storerooms kitchen dining etc. The walls were of burnt brick with lime mortar. The 1^st floor was made with wooden beams and rafters with tiles on them. The roof was the same except with slope and parapet, with a wooden stair to go up.

There was a pond, which was muddy but clean, with all sorts of fish like rohi, bhakuda and small prawns, a well, which had water full of calcium and servant quarters on the periphery. On the SW corner of the plot, now known as College Square the graves of my grandfather, grandmother and their guru. It was the custom that when you become a sanyasi you are to change your name with a surname like saraswati, bharati etc, and they are to be buried and not cremated.

The plot was of 5 acres and plantains, sajana, mango, pears, guavas and what not were planted everywhere. Then there were cowsheds, grain stores on stilts and the whole area was filled with rats and rat holes.

It is said that as a child I spoke very late and when I spoke it was full sentences and not ma, ba. Then from sleeping position to walking without the transition of crawling and I remember nothing about my walking and swimming, which I must have done by 2 years of age.

My father purchased a new Austin sedan 8 HP from Calcutta and brought by road. When it arrived on the porch of the house, I was the first one to see, and there was a table fan in the dickey. The front of the house had a madhumalati creeper and a circular driveway, and the car was standing majestically. This was in ’39 after the promotion of my father as Chief Medical Officer. This was the year when WW II started, and all the gold and silver of the house were buried under floors to avoid enemies detecting them.

I was not going to any school, but there was a resident teacher cum gumasta for my elder brothers, from whom I might have learnt something. There was a book known as trivasi in which oriya, bengali and hindi alphabets were written one bellow the other from which I must have learnt the alphabets. The multiplication tables up to 10 x 10, I seem to remember but not beyond that. English alphabets and the picture books lying around the house was my other learning process. To be brief no formal teacher or classroom was there for lower primary stage.

1945-50

1945-50

The war is over and prices went up, and there was a talk of independence movement, but our school was on one class after another, new books and smell of question papers, new class teachers, sometimes new students and teachers. One new hindi teacher came from Bihar and asked us to write in reed pens which he sold at four annas, which was a lot in those days. He spoke only in hindi, which I used to understand how I do not know. One day my father came home and found that I am conversing with a kabuliwala negotiating fruit prices, when he asked me how do I understand his language and I had no reply? Books I could read without difficulty since the alphabets were in my memory from the trivasi. Another memorable event of my life was cycle, which was fascinating that it can move with two wheels. Since I was pretty tall I used a verandah to climb the cycle and cycle off, and never like my brothers hopping from a pin attached to the back axle, or by cross riding like the girls.

Then came ’47 when India became independent and I was in eighth class meaning proper high school, with different fascinating subjects like science, addl maths, and sanskrit. As usual I used to be bad in history but brilliant in geography and used to pass, as they were one paper. My usual roaming around alone continued only in holidays, which gave me a lot of insight and knowledge, but no outdoor games. My eldest brother however had devised many games for us to play at home in one of which my younger brother had an injury in the eye, which later was diagnosed at detachment of retina. Then during raja there used to be swings made out of wood for us play. In one at my uncle’s place I cut my armpit severely, which needed 21 stitches. Then in one ganesh puja I fell from a culvert from a height of about 10 feet on mud. More serious accidents were suffered by my two elder brothers in cycles and games. In most of the cases my father a doctor was absent on tour.

The other aspect of my life was among all brothers I was the favorite of my father, and when he goes on tour he used to take me along. I used to be treated royally by the asst surgeon of the hospitals, which was a matter of envy for others. The servants of the house were also differential to me due to this. My uncle and auntie also treat me with a lot of affection, may be to please my father or may be I was more outgoing than others. My eldest sister who was in college at cuttack used to come only in holidays and describe the place as hot with mosquitoes, in comparison to our place, which was cool in summer and very cold in winters. While driving I was curious to know the functions of different controls of the car, and used to ask my father all sort of questions. When he was busy in the inspection I used to drive the car forward and backwards but not in roads.

On ’48 jan the keonjhar state got merged with orissa and became a district and orissa province was renamed as a state for which my father used to say that orissa got merged with our state. One administrator and a superintendent of police came from outside. My father got absorbed and got a transfer to Koraput as Civil Surgeon. For the first time in 12 years he had to shift lock stock and barrel and it was traumatic for all, except me. I enjoyed the freedom with no responsibility for a year with my elder brother and two cousins, an aunt and multitude of servants.

For the first time I noticed that girls of my age are different and they avoid us not due to any quarrel or misunderstanding, but just because we are different. One girl in sixth class who was very friendly with me way back in ’46 reminded me of the lost opportunities, as I did not know what am I supposed to do. In high school only two or three were left, one was my cousin and the other was a beautiful one a Christian staying near the school. On the pretext of combined study I had gone to her house with my cousin but not alone. Then our house was given on rent to the newly posted vet asst surgeon, whose son became my friend for several years. When he was transferred, the new ones daughter aged 13 became my first girl friend. I had to meet her on sly, and do not know why.

Then our uncle had a tenant a sergeant major of police, who had a huge six seater weapon carrier at the garage, and was my first vehicle in which alone I took it out on the main roads and replaced it back in a small garage. This was during bridge games of the sergeant major uncle, aunty and my elder brother, in which I was the partner with dummy cards. This family remained our friends outside the close relatives for a long time.

The son of the SP became my friend and we used to go by cycle to distant places to see melas of adivasis. Then we used to go for small picnics and during half yearly holidays went to Koraput the place of posting of my father and it was the first house and a govt house outside my place of birth. It was a place more beautiful than any place I had seen earlier, the climate was cooler and there was a table mountain flat at the top with no trees except on sides. Then there was a bigger town Jeypore where my eldest brother was studying. During these holidays we saw Rayagada, Nawarangpur, and best of them Jagdalpur the capital of Bastar of MP with the waterfall chitrakoot, much bigger than any I had seen.

Going back in my memory lane, we had gone to see a waterfall known as khanadhar a thin stream like a sword falling about 750 ft from gandamardana, in our new austin car, which could not climb the last stretch of road. We revisited the same after 7 years in the weapon carrier when the road bridges were so rotten that they used to collapse after the vehicle passes over.

  

In ’49 my father got transferred to cuttack the capital town, as addl civil surgeon cum supdt of central jail and later as lect of juris in the medical college. The addl was removed after a year. Then we two brothers also left our ancestral place for the first time in our life. I was in class X, and stood first in general knowledge to go to the radio station for interschool gk competition, and we stood first as a team. This gave me a lot of attention, being from a small town. I tried to enroll in NCC, but you have to be in class IX to get in. I got a sanskrit teacher who gave me a few hints, after which I could easily get 80 to 90 % marks. My english also improved by association but math remained the same. The school was just in the back of the house, and we were staying in a doctor’s colony of eight houses.

I made many friends for the first time, but as usual very shy of the girls who were always older than me in our class, and going to meet other girls on lower classes never occurred to me. The town was big but no outside activity, no open land nor forests. But there was a big river and the islands therein were fascinating, and then I remained busy for two years on study only.

1950-55

1950-55

In ’51 we appeared for matriculation exams, which was conducted by the university, and the thrill of seeing your name on print on the walls of the university was an event to remember. Later we found our names in the gazette also. From feb to around jul we had all the time to roam around see pictures and meet friends. Meanwhile we shifted to the official quarters near the stadium to a bigger house and the supdt of police of keonjhar with his family moved in the last house near the road, whose son was my friend at keonjhar. We renewed our friendship along with his classmates from another school.

The only college I applied was ravenshaw college the premier college of the state.

Normally the college opens by jul, but there was a strike for enhancing the fees from Rs 8 to Rs 9, and I witnessed the same from a safe distance, with police firing. I took Ph, Ch, Math and optional Bio and for final exam took spoken English also. I joined the NCC and the Rover Crew the senior version of boy scouts, joined in sports and games due to the influence of my classmates. The study was hectic with full 9 to 4 classes with no break, as against the arts students with all the leisure at their disposal. With all the lab works and all we had no time for library. We had several girls with the most comely one with roll no 57, and then there were 99 and 102. The first two groups with optional bio were treated as superior students, and the fifth group had geography optional and they were next. Other groups were so so. Most of the girls were in sixth group, with a few in our groups.

In ’52 my father got transferred to Baripada, and I had to stay in the east hostel in a four-bed room with an additional fifth seat and had to adjust to the hostel food. The one in the fifth seat was the cook’s relation, and therefore I used to get some special treatment. Then at night we used to raid the mango groves adjacent to the hostel in the quarters of a history professor, who had several daughters and dogs too. Then Chandi used to come and visit us, and I had a cycle for myself for sometimes. This was temporarily stolen on the day of final math exam, and I did badly in the same paper. The cycle was useful to visit one relation at rajabagicha, who had a daughter in one class lower than ours.

NCC parades were fun, where we used to get one samosa and a rasgolla, and finally promoted to the rank of corporal, and the uniform was olive green. Rover crew meeting was very few due to the preoccupation of the leader. Sports were an annual event where I could get a few 3^rd prizes.

After the final exams I applied only to the Director of Industry, who gave me an option of Patna, Sibpur and Trivandrum for Civil engineering. I choose the third since my brother was already there and it was the most distant place and the degree was B Sc (Eng), which was prevalent in England and not the usual BE as used in India. Most of the engineering colleges had a stipulation of 17 years of age whereas I was bellow 16, and therefore could not apply. The same is with the case of medical colleges.

Meanwhile on holidays I used to go to Baripada a large bungalow with mango trees. Once we five brothers fell down from a tree and I dislocated my right toe. Then our mutual visits to my auntie’s house with my elder brother.

In ’53 around jul/aug we left for Trivandrum the capital of Trav Cochin State, and stayed in the univ hostel which was on walking distance from the college of engineering and the univ college, where we study Ph and Ch in the 1^st year. The Univ College had 50% girls and the common room was a huge affair. In that place girls wash their hair everyday unlike in our state. The language was malayalam, but you can manage in English as the state had the highest literary percentage in India. Here I joined in the NCC, and became a sergeant, and joined four items in athletics and casually played games. At the cost of the studies I used to excel in rifle shooting, and a few prizes in athletics.

The rifle shooting range was at a distance in the hills and the food was poorie and potato curried with one banana, both for morning and noon. There were coconut trees around and the competition was for Burdwan and Earl Roberts trophies, where individually I used to have highest points in the battalion, and my rank was 7 in India and 25 internationally. Meanwhile I was promoted to the rank of Under Officer, passed my certificate B and C.

  

In the final year I went for SSB interview at Bangalore, and failed because my IQ was said to be 150 as against the requirement of an av 120, but stood first the rifle shooting competition as usual at Bangalore. Then there were winter annual camps, living on tents and turning dark in parades and exposure to light machine guns, pistols and grenades, along with map reading trekking etc. These trainings became very handy in my later life, and also the leadership qualities. In my younger days I was a loner, but now I developed friendship notably with one Pyarelal from east africa and one Gopalakrishnan from the state. Then there were few family friends, and one invited me to his house near Cochin, where I went by Indian Airline flight at Rs 30 with a student concession from Trivandrum. The airhostesses used to be Anglo Indians with skirt and blouse and the plane was Dakota. I wanted to join the flying club, but engineering college does not permit because of time and transport. I developed friendship with Commander DeAlmeida, Major Menon and the former used to take me to the airfield, convents to see the sisters and later to his beautiful home.

We used to go to picnic spots by hiring cycles at Annas 50 and take bread and butter for food, and many a time to Kovalam beach a few miles from the city. This was a sheltered beach surrounded by land on three sides with coconut trees.

This place also saw the death of a first year east african indian student by drowning. I used to write letters to 3 persons: one was my old friend from keonjhar days studying vet science at hissar in the then punjab. The letter used to take 1 or 2 days to reach, since all letters were airlifted. Second was my cousin from Baripada and the third was the girl from cuttack.I with Pyarelal acquired a friend known as Mohan, who had a family of five sisters. They were sindhis settled in ivory business, where we were invited for all functions and parties.

Other than the usual I got one air pistol for twenty-five rupees and one roller skate for the same amount. This I used to inform my younger brother in letters with sketches, and take them home for practice. Skating on the main roads hanging unto busses was real fun, and practicing shooting with air pistol was the other diversion.

1955-60

1955-60

My eldest brother left after his course in electrical engineering. In the beginning he was my guardian in matters if money and outings. Most of the students from orissa were grouped together irrespective of the class. Later I had my own account with Rs 1500 for the whole year, out of which Rs 200 was the princely sum for the college / university. I managed with this for all years except final year in which I asked for another Rs 200 for all India tour.

  

After he left I felt lonely but independent. The closeness with the junior boys from orissa was absent whereas the boys from east Africa both the Indians and Africans became more friendly with me. We as a group were invited to USIS for competition and parties. In general knowledge I remained at the top, and used to bag all prizes and get books in bundles. Then I was also member of the public library and studied all subject including history. The last was to compensate the deficiency in school.

There was one survey camp, in which we had to stay in a remote place and do survey only for 15 days. The first time I cooked a pigeon in ghee tin borrowed from the cook and the resulting soup was delicious. The usual ncc camps once in a year, republic day parades and college functions used to be real thrill. 

1955-60

1955-60

There was an irrigation tour in which we visited all the ancient projects in the state of travancore and the high hills and forests. Then finally after the final exams one all south india tour terminating at Bombay.The study tour was very educative and practical giving us the feeling of a practical engineer, and allowed us to dream of the future. We saw how siphons and aqueducts are built across hills and small large dams around south India, and also the water treatment plants of Bombay and water supply scheme of Trivandrum.

By that time father had come back with only the change in designation as professor of forensic medicine in addition to his other duties. My eldest sister a doctor, brother an electrical engineer and other brother in central intelligence were employed. My request for further study was denied for a very good reason, since we had another 6 in the family to study. I got my result from a malayalam news paper kerala kaumudi, which was available at the madras hotel having passed the degree.

I applied and got a job of junior engineer in irrigation dept at Bhubaneswar in medium irrigation investigation circle and stayed with my sister, who was the state school medical officer. After a couple of months I got a transfer to keonjhar, and did the survey and investigation of the water supply scheme for the town on the same mountain we had climbed in our younger days. The dam and the scheme were however built 30 years later. Meanwhile we had attended the interview for the post of asst engineer and completed the medical test waiting for the posting. This came in dec and posting was at berhampur on training and the places where I worked are at Hinjilicut and Dhanai irrigation project investigations with one overseer, eating only rice and one curry staying in temp sheds, sleeping on charpoys. This experience however prepared me for the hard life, which we civil engineers go through. 

Within a couple of months I was posted to hold a sub division at Akhuapada on the bank of Baitarani, which originated at my home place. I had a staff of around 27 with irrigation, navigation operation of anicut and high level canal systems, including the coast canal in the Bhadrak subdiv. My div hq was at Jajpur, about 10 miles distance and I had a jeep and outboard motor boat for tours which used to be 15 days in a month. Then there was Dhamra port at the meeting point of river Brahmani with the Bay of Bengal. I was the first SDO who visited all the areas under my jurisdiction in nine months of my stay. The coast canal I visited had a dak bungalow having a bunyan tree growing at the center of the drawing room, and the last visit was of the collector in 1942, which I recommended for dismantling.

The coast canals were built before the railways, and was used for travelling by boat upto calcutta, and dak bungalows were built between the canal and the sea. Therefore to approach by modern jeep we had to go through a slushy village known as irrum, then cross the canal and go by foot. The other incident was the branch canals, which are not jeepable. I used to go by foot and the canal rest house is invariably at the dead end of the canal. The chowkidar was found to be a girl hardly sixteen, being the only daughter of the previous chowkidar with the name of rama, which can also mean ram.

As stipulated we have to pass the exam in law for getting the 1^st increment, and I could get a book known as compendium of law and that was sufficient to pass IPC, CrPC, Evidence Act, and the canal laws. This was required since the SDO was also a 3^rd class magistrate in the olden days and he used to try cases under the Bengal irrigation act. This posting was really a great exposer regarding the running of the department in british days. There was a diary written by a english ISE officer regarding the operation of the gates of the anicut and the canals in old yellowish ink made out of a fruit known as harida. Then there was a note book on the history of wells written by an asst eng sk palit, who by now was my chief engineer, for the bridge on baitarani nearby built by gammons.

Having failed to get the regular commission in the Army I went to the interview for regular reserve in the Army, which allows you to remain in the civil job and will be called only in case of emergency. For this I went to Meerut for SSB, and from there made a trip to Srinagar but train/bus and returned by air/train. The Army had given ticket upto Meerut and the balance I spent aws around Rs 500 in all. I was hoping to find and stay with our sergeant major uncle of keonjhar days who was supposed to be at that place as DSP but he was transferred by then. I stayed in a boathouse in Jhelum at Rs 10 a day with food and a complete trip on the river and dal lake at Rs 5. The bus trip took four days because of one lane traffic and landslides

  

Back at Akhuapada I used to climb eucalyptus trees with my high jump shoes and a leather belts. Then I built one water ski with teakwood and used the motor boat for skiing. Fish was available in plenty and for the first time I developed a taste for it. The bungalow was having 4 rooms in a row just like the one of my father at Koraput, 5 acres of land around and plenty of trees. My pay plus DA was Rs 300, and used to go to Bhadrak to draw the salary.

By dec ’59, I was transferred to a project, known as delta irrigation scheme sanctioned under the hirakud dam project, and remained in charge of left bank, afflux bund, suniamuhi stone quarry and the township. The place was Mundali across Cuttack. Here I had one jeep, a motorboat and the accounting system was resident audit, where as the regular sub div it was post audit.

Here I learned how large construction projects run, and I did small design jobs like circular beams and slabs, complete electrical design for township, operating bulldozers to make roads, and operation of compressors, drilling and blasting stone quarries. Almost every Sundays I used to go to cuttack for seeing english pictures and several times to bhubaneswar  on official duties.

I passed the professional exam for getting the 2^nd increment, consisting of a design and drawing paper and also oriya in high standard. I was not required to appear for language if I would produce my matric certificate, but I wanted to help few telugu/karnatak friends.

I got the commission as 2/Lt in corps of engineers  (bengal group) and attached to Sub Area at Lucknow, and later changed to Danapur. Till date the retention fee of Rs 200, I could not get due to inefficiency of the defense accounting systems. For civil pay our ag office which was at Ranchi, had shifted to Bhubaneswar, and I found that they have a very good system of keeping a page for me and no files. The replies to my letters are in the back with a rubber stamp, and no copies kept.

I was one of the most eligible bachelors at that time, and various proposals came, and I had to go to see the girls with escorts. One I selected was fairly tall, but her father died and the marriage was cancelled. One was a doctor very thin but the family was involved in some nefarious activities, the other was very short and her sister’s character was doubtful. Then I had a very strong stipulation of a to z viz age, beauty, character, dowry etc. Then I wanted to marry someone and she had other higher goals in life and other was closely related. In the process time was running out, and I accepted the proposal of the daughter of the SP Cuttack who was posted with my father several times and her brother was my friend from keonjhar days. Our engagement lasted for several months and we married just before a transfer.

1960-65

1960-65

In ’61 my services were placed at the disposal of electricity dept and a long period of deputation started. I married at Mundali and after 3 days my wife left for keonjhar, and on being relieved went to give the joining report at Puri. The chief engineer said the post has been transferred to irrigation dept, and then I went to the secretariat and got another posting order, and joined at Chainpal near Talcher.

The job was investigation of a water supply scheme on river nandira by making a small dam involving theodolite, plane table and leveling. I had 3 overseers and six khalasis to help and was living in a swiss cottage tent with separate tents for toilet kitchen with my wife on the bank of the river. There was a small official qrs where we used to go once a week, and to the nearest town Angul for marketing and pictures. For bath the khalasis used to dig a pit in the dry bed when sparkling clean water used to be there. There was a small forest around and a village nearby. Here I met one old trivandrum friend with his wife and it was a friendly little colony, but the exec engineer was little difficult and distant.

Here I opted for roads and buildings dept for better places of postings but an old request of deputation to the eng school was acted upon, and my services was lent to the industry dept for posting at cuttack. Due to some internal pressure I was however posted at jharsuguda a small business town. By that time my work was also over. I took a small house on rent and took my wife there. She was not very happy since her dreams of a big bungalow with servants and jeeps were not fulfilled. For transport I purchased a 350 bullet with her money from rourkela, and brought it by road. On the way the engine seized, and it was evening in a lonely road, and luck would have it a sardar truck appeared from nowhere. With his help I reached my place late. My father in law visited the place but did not take food, as was the custom in those days. We had a few friends and there was a servant boy to help in cooking.

Meanwhile one regional engineering college was being set up at rourkela, and they were in need of a lecturer in civil eng with ncc background, and I was the only one with these combinations. So I was deputed as lecturer, and looked after the ncc co and became superintendent of the hostel. As was the procedure half of the boys were from other states, and there used to be tension, but the secretary of the board was our family friend, and I got one servant to cook. The place was at the local ITI with a brand new police colony, and I had the bullet to move around. The job was very interesting and my name was sent for commission in the ncc rifles, without precommission training and it has to pass through army hq, since I was already in army. This involved relinquishing the army commission with effect from the date of ncc commission. This is the beginning of a series of resignations in my life, as was series of deputations from the parent department.

  

My pay and allowances was Rs 860 a princely sum with income tax deduction of only Rs 50, petrol price at 50 paise or so a litre. In addition I was a head examiner of eng schools and examiner in the college. We used to be invited to the functions held in German Club and the attached Max Mueller Bhawan, where lovely german girls used to work.

In 62 Chinese war broke out and I used to make all the staff to do drill, and in the staff race for running I used to stand first. In the morning NCC parade, daytime one lecture and a drawing class, and the evenings the affairs of the hostel used to keep me busy. On an open advertisement, I was selected as Asst Prof in a newly created Drawing dept, when my first daughter Anita was born.

In 63, I was promoted to the rank of Exec Engineer in my parent dept and was deputed to Mining corpn first and then changed to Construction corpn at Bhubaneswar, and had to leave the college with heavy heart.

I was posted at the HO for about 3 months, and since my sister was at USA, we enjoyed staying in her house and using her car and the company of neighbors. It was a small co, which was given a task of building all the major and minor bridges of Expressway from Daitary mines to Paradip port. At that time Biju was the Chief Minister and he decided to break the monopoly of 2 to 3 bridge builders of India viz Gammons, Hindustan and a smaller Shah construction. I shifted to a place known as Chainpal on the bank of a canal in a rented house. The site was a km or two for a bridge over Birupa and the other sites were minor bridges and one bridge on Badagenguti within 5 km in the doab of the two rivers. I constructed temp accommodation on the bank of the river with water and electricity.

Meanwhile I had a second daughter born at Cuttack very cute and beautiful. I brought my family to this temp abode, which had three rooms and provided with servants and cooks officially. My neighbor was a chap from Bangalore, who had come over from Gammons. The work of sinking of wells started in full swing and food and climate was good. I used to go to Cuttack and Bhubaneswar officially, so my wife was very happy.

One well did not sink for some time so I decided to do a limited blasting. We were connecting the detonators with the blaster for a test and the electrician connected the wires ahead of time and there was a small blast. My right side including one eye got the sand and copper particles, and the electrician got it in both eyes. We shifted to the medical college hospital and got out after a couple of days, but the other chap got cataract in both the eyes. This was a lesson for future not to take unnecessary risk. Our corpn did not help in any way, but I hired a lawyer who happened to be the father of my colleague Ajit Roy of Akhuapada days. He took a princely sum of Rs 500 for bribing the police not to register a case. My boss Rajeswar Rao asked me to take leave so that no damage suit could be instituted against the company.

For paradip port, we opened a large stone quarry at Haridaspur having one primary and about 10 secondary crushers. The main aim was to provide 10 ton stone boulders for the breakwater of the port. About 200 trucks hired from Punjab were daily plying with one truck carrying one stone piece. After about a year, I shifted with family to a pucca house built by me on the foothills. This had a dry stone compound wall and a small swimming pool built with one side jutting the mountain face.

During the stay here one of my asst engineers subas pati, was to go to Bhutmundi for some inauguration, and I had a premonition of some disaster. I asked him not to go and asked my wife to persuade thr his wife, but he did go and died in a jeep accident.

The activities of this job slowed down and I was asked to shift the above place for a prestigious Mahanadi bridge on the same expressway. I kept my family at the in laws place, and shifted to site and built a beautiful house, which in the terms of my boss Rao looked like a cinema hall. Here one Biren Patnaik, who was my guru and mentor was the real boss, and I was to do the job at site with the consultant’s representative.

I really learnt the art of bridge construction here. We enjoyed life with frequent parties bird shootings, with good food and comfortable stay. Till this time I did not have a personal car, when the jeep had breakdown had to travel to cuttack by truck. Every visitor who happens to go to see paradip will drop in there and take me a guide. I also became an expert of bridges and the port in the process.

Our consultants were MN Dastur & Co for the bridge, STUP (India) for prestressing in Fressinet system and launching of the girders. For Prestressing one chap with a name Vellaudin vellu for short and for launching one Kaptekar with a beautiful wife stayed at the site, and we had a small colony life …

Insects Animals, Humans

Ants

They are there on the earth much before us and have several varieties including white ants. They are very organized society surpassing ours in many ways.

The ants hive has one queen who only reproduces. The male ants are groomed for the next generation by feeding them more. They take wings at monsoon time fly out, and die after the job is done. All queens land at separate places to start the cycle again. Then comes fighters who are fed more than the laborer. They only fight enemies but do not do other works. The laborers gather food feed the fighters and the queen and also store for winter. They also farm a type of fungi to feed. They capture a smaller variety of insect aphids to milk them.

Now we are talking of casteless, classless society, and we have a American doctrine that all men are created equal. When all animals are not equal how men can be equal.

Lions

They are polygamous and the head moves with the harem and has a territory. Any other male intruding is driven away by fight but never killed. The male progeny of the brood on maturity have to move out and search for females and create their territory. The females kill the prey and the king gets the preference. They have a pride with 15 to 16 members also, like a human tribe.

Tigers

The males have a territory but have no family. They are solitary and nocturnal. Females meet them once they are ready and the male moves out being a threat to the growing children. Hunting is also a solitary affair, unlike lions.

Elephants

They are very social move in groups headed be the oldest female, children are taken care of by mothers and aunts. The tuskers job is to protect the heard from enemies other than the primary job. Once in a while lonely males become must and becomes troublesome. They move most of time for food and shelter.

Apes and monkeys

Even though they are different from each other, they have large groups with pecking order clearly defined by strength intelligence. They groom each other and move one place to another searching for food.

Birds

The birds are at a high evolutionary tree. Different species of birds have different social behaviour. The sarus cranes are married for life and they do not have a mate in case of death of the partner.The common cock or sparrows have multiple partners, the cock is similar to lion and sparrows like tigers.

Humans


The human beings being at the highest level of evolution experimented several forms of partnerships, probably by observing the above living creatures.. First individual ownership of land, and then joint ownership of villages and towns emerged. The marriages with a single partner was found to be more conducive in most of the countries. Some preferred polygamy and very few polyandry.

Groups, tribes, nations came up at diverse areas, fought wars to settle disputes, formed  social groups by colour of the skin and by religion and then by caste or class.Laws were enacted by customs, religion and then by state. Armed forces fought like ants, held territory like animals, and kill the opponents by calling them enemies.

Environment

ENVIRONMENT

Keonjhargarh is situated at an altitude of around 1350 ft above sea level, with gandhamardan may be another 1500 ft above, looming on the west side. At the foothills a temple for balabhadra in the old town, and then gadsahi and the old palace of the king. It is said that the foundation for the temple is bigger than puri jagannath, and when this information reached puri there was a lot of hue and cry. There was a settlement between the two kings that height has to be less than puri.As per the bargain our rath (chariot) will be single but bigger than puris separate 3.The rath jatra was a massive affair with all adibasis from the mountain gathering and carminative mixtures doled out by compounders

Near the old palace there was a dandadevi, where human sacrifice was a ritual in 19^th century to appease the goddess. Then there is one siddha math founded by some ascetic, from where you can climb up the mountains and valleys beyond. But the best was san ghagara (small waterfall) about 3 mile from our house for picnics, approachable by a dirt road and a small but stiff ghat. From the road you have to tread a furlong to reach a clear pristine fall with a large pool at the bottom for bathing and climbing, waiting for the food to be ready. Bad ghagara a little upstream an be reached by walk for about one mile, which was much bigger. This one has no picnic place and the fear of wild animals keep people away.

My maternal uncle’s place was 32 miles, with aradei, baitarani in between. As children we used to go by bullock cart, sometimes overnight sighting occasional tiger. Later we went by cycle with lunch break of chuda on the river bank. There were five unless and you are welcomed by all. All the journeys are clear in memory but when you go there by car later it is not so exiting. A slight detour is kiching built in konark style.

Now if you go to these places it is no longer thrilling.The jungle has been cleared and concrete pathways, rose garden and lawns are made. The trucks on the highway clean them upstream, and the river has a dam above bad ghagra.This has reduced the flow and polluted the water.

Another place about 30 miles north was khandadhar, a huge waterfall by our standards. When we reach there it is invariably afternoon and fall is under shadow. Long back we went in Austin car by road with culverts made of wood. Later we went by a six wheeler and when we came back the culverts broke down due to aging. A couple of years back we went along a different route devoid of forest and animals. If you approach the waterfall through the mining belt, it is devastating scene. Everywhere there are open cast mining devoid of a single tree, roads and dust of morum or iron ore fines, streams are muddy and question of sighting any animal is rare.

In seventies I flew over this area, which was a forest with patches of red mounds of spoils. Now on land it appears to be only mounds with small patches of forest, the dams empty and streams dry. Long back in our chemistry book it was mentioned that keonjhar mines has the highest content of ore at 65% in the whole world. With the demand of this for japan earlier and chinese later, and mine owners greed for money has resulted in this devastation. We believed that british rule with kings were responsible for the reduction of animal population. Now after six decades we have to blame ourselves.

Just 10 mile from keonjhar there is small place gopalpur, where the king used to go for shikar, and now even jackals are not to be found.There was an old road from keonjhar to anandpur on the foothills, whih was abandoned after the new road was built. This I had seen on topographical maps and had the opportunity to pass through after the new road was congested with mine trucks.On enquiry I found that this old road was infested with wild animals like deer, wild boar, black bears, leopards and elephants and a lot of water bodies and flowing rivers.The animals need grassland and dense forest to survive, and they simply vanished by human encroachments.

Coming bak to keonjhar in winter we get up at 8 am and sit around a wood fire to brush our teeth with twigs and sleep under blankets in the evening. Birds like wild pegions crows, sparrows, vultures were plentiful. So were colony of rats small bats, owls and what not.Summer was pleasant for taking bath in open ponds catching fish by angling and nets. Rainy season had frogs croaking, sadhav poka (a velvet red insect) crawling around. Squirrels came later and also mosquitoes. In house cocks, hens, pigeons, cows goats were also kept making a virtual zoo in our house.There are snakes of poisonous and non poisonous variety like naga, chiti and dhamana around.The bani (a yellow bird) eating grasshoppers and various other insects like ants termites to describe a few. Now all the above have simply vanished, with housings and filling up ponds.

If it has happened in my place in half a century, what is going to happen in the whole country, you can well imagine. The temperature has gone up, rainfall scanty, rivers dry mainly due to reduction of the forest over-All big trees were cut by loggers ,small trees taken for fodder and grass eaten up or dried up without cover, collectively led to this scenarios.

1965-70

1965-70

The sinking of the wells was done in the shape of steel caissons, floated into position and filled with concrete. The rest of the operartion was by conventional methods. The concrete was done from floating barges with cranes, conct mixers and material ferried from the bank. This was done by one Chanda Engineers.

With my limited experience, I found that the wells are tilting beyond permissible limits, which can never be rectified. So we found a method of counter balancing and building the well cap. Next was cracking of wells, and we attributed to the revised draft bridge code, and got away with it. As a rectification we put a rcc ring around the wells to prevent further cracking. At the same time Gammons had a well cracking at Rupnarayan, and they had to sink another well by changing the span.

Then we found by constructing from both ends there was a large gap, due to defective survey done by the department. For this we built a small span, and got extra payment for the extra length.

The last but not the least was that due to tilting of the wells, the alignment of the bridge was not a straight line, and we provided a slight curvature. My brother who was an electrical engineer used to tease me that the bridge will collapse, but till date it is standing safe and sound.

The work was new to me but we successfully cast the 70 tonnes beam, prestressed and launched them on the piers already cast.

During this period there was a mali, who used to have visions, and predicted 2 years and 10 months stay at Bhutmundi, and lo and behold this happened. I was posted to Jajpur Road to build a Ferro Chrome plant of IDC. The consultants were WS Atkins, and there was one Roy as their rep, the owners having MVCL Rao my batchmate. There was a keralite GM, who had come from germany. Being an electrical engineer, he gave me full authority in construction of both rcc and steel structures.

It was a small house but in a permanent colony about a Km from the town and 3 Km from the rail station. The great events are monthly sikar with a doctor friend of mine and sighting the first panther in the forest. Then a serious railway accident just ahead of our qrs and a servant who vanished after taking the loot may be from the dead bodies. The third is buying my first car from a uncle of mine who cheated by replacing the tyres.Then the third daughter was born here, who died at an early age.

Yes shikar went like this:- We took along a school teacher whose father was the shikari of Sukinda Raja. He had a double-barreled gun and a rifle, which I took. The searchlight showed two panthers, I trekked all the way into the forest. One of the panthers came in a circle keeping safe distance onto the road. I took a kneeling position to take a definite kill, but which time the schoolteacher took the rifle from me and shot. I had to give in as the rifle belongs to him. He naturally missed by a foot, and I could see the bullet hitting the ground. I promised to buy a gun then and there. We had other several trips but with a rabbit or two.

The Ferrochrome plant was an achievement for me in industrial structures, consisting of steel and rcc foundations including coal handling, rotary kilns and power stations. There were Swedes experts, including one with a beautiful wife staying in the guesthouse. The food was excellent where I stayed in the guesthouse when my family was not there. There was a manager who takes care of me. 

In ’69 I took over Taldanda canal bridge for the railway’s paradip line in addition to my job. I used to stay in a rented guesthouse while at cuttack, and the work was interesting if not challenging. In this also one foundation was rejected by the railways, since we couldn’t dewater fully, and a new foundation with changed span was built. The achievement of getting all deviations accepted in expressway was not possible with the rigid railways engineers.

Then I got posted as headquaters prj eng at Bhubaneswar, and immediately I got in the Flying club, which I had cherished for a long time.During my engineering college days I wanted to join the local flying club, but the college timings were not suitable. Here I got an office job, and was at the Airport which was 5 km from my residence at Madhusudan nagar, The Chief pilot was one Chatterji who became my friend, along with one Jha, who had left the air force and joined as a asst flying instructor. For some time there was one wing commander and much later Mahapatra. I was at the club at 6 am for one year, except when am on tour. Did my solo in 12 hrs and completed 60 mandatory hours in one year.

My job involved the central store, procurement and small projects not having prj mgrs, viz paradip port monoliths, industrials buildings at cuttack, transmission tower foundations at narsighpur and dav school at phulbani. This involved tour of one week in a month. Tours mean shikar on the way, mostly birds and small animals.

1980-85

1980 – 85

In Jul 80 I got my transfer order to Gauhati, as you recall I had refused to join at Bangaingaon in 76. Now I had no option, and normally I do not approach people even though the GM of the refinery was a great friend of mine. First I went on pre transfer for 15 days fixed a house in their refinery colony on the bank of Brahmaputra, and then came back to take my family. By then Anita was admitted to Miranda House for B Sc and was in the hostel. Therefore I sent the luggage by truck, and traveled by the same car around 2500 Km and 4 night halts via siliguri and a border road without a name in the map inside lush tea gardens. On this remote stretch I found one patnaik of vet corps, whom I gave a lift. Another scary route was in west Bengal itself after farakka barrage, with floodwater on both sides.

The work was of revamping the cooling water system with cooling towers, expansion of the existing power plant, and a new Naptha splitter. In addition new ones replaced the old tankages. The work was interesting, but in the beginning there was complete stoppage of work due to the agitation, the agitation being directed against Bengalis in the beginning and against all outsiders.

In dec 80 there was an open advertisement for the post of Chief Const Supdt, and our association took up the matter with management, who agreed to consider the internal candidates also in a ration of 1:1. I was the only one selected from inside and the outsider never joined. This was the last victory of the officer’s association, where I was the founder, 3^rd and 5^th  President with a strength of 750. 

I made friends and went on shikar trip to the foothills on Arunachal . The chap was one Baruah, with a security officer. I shot one Mithun, a huge animal and was wounded. The villagers were so happy that they can get the animal next day. The most interesting part is on a small hill of 1000 ft, which I climbed and shot three birds known as badaghuan, a huge size kabuttar. On the downhill we were treated with a cake dried on the roof, which when soaked in water becomes beer. The name I forgot, but was delicious.

Assam being a disturbed area I used to Meghalaya- Garo hills, but not many animals were found. The very object is the thrill of searching for the animal eyes in the darkness, and the anxious waiting for someone to come up. After killing I do get satisfaction, but sadness also sets in. Therefore you find most of the conservationists of animals are former shikaris.

Work started in full swing, and during rains, I used to collect a lot of wild mushrooms, which assamese do not take. The I started with Tambul, in absence of Indian pan. Even though my mother used to take pan I was not addicted till I reached Mathura. There I got two friends who initiated to this bad habbit, which I still continue except for a brief period.

After a gap of about two years they started targeting assamese collaborators mainly those promoted IAS chaps. There was a bomb blast near my neighbor. At this time a circular came for a UPSC selection for Bureau of Public Enterprises, and I was selected the only one from public sector. The other Mr Kalra was from Min of Transport, and my boss was from CPWD.




In one bihu festival my temp garage and all my packing boxes were burnt, and I shifted to a decent house at Narikal basti from the refinery colony. The refinery gave me some long time friends like srinivasan. My old friend Lt Col Sunderason was posted to the marine unit, and we went for a cruise in the river brahmaputra. Then another friend from mathura Nagaraj was also posted at Bangaingaon, who used to frequent gauhati. The old boss after retirement also came down there.

During these days I was deep into astrology, and I was asked about the above selection, and my reply was after calculation 25 Mar 83. Then the date passed, and by Apr 1^st I got a call from GM that I am selected and the date of signature of Dy secy was 25 Mar. Then came a long correspondence of deputation terms. The second question was when. My reply was 20 Aug, and I left for New Delhi on the same day. With one of my deputies Bhateja, we used a lot of calls from dead souls known as planchets, and some came true.

My elder daughter got admission at Dibrugarh medical college in central quota, on marks basis, which was not possible in my home state because of so called entrance exam. She left Miranda House B Sc in botany halfway. The younger one got admission in Army school, which was the only one open in whole of assam except silcher. On completion she got admission in the famous cotton college in B Sc Botany, thinking that I will put her in IFS, but she changed to physics. Later she  left B Sc altogether and went to Lucknow for a newly opened architecture course.

I became very contented since my vicarious satisfaction was fulfilled, since I wanted to become a doctor and after engineering be an architect. Assam also gave me a promotion, selection in government of India as a joint advisor.

I joined on 1 sep 83, and took a rented house at Paschim Vihar at Rs 800 rent the reimbursement being only Rs 400. Later I shifted to Kidwai Nagar (West) a DII flat with a rent of Rs 135. Even though I had a car in GoI there was no conveyance allowance like in public sectors and that is why most of the time I used to go by chartered bus and DTC buses. My office used to be CGO Complex Block near JN Stadium a mere 3 km from the official residence.

The allotment of the house was because deputationists get a preference over regular employees, and I accidentally met the ex Chief Secy of Assam, who was the Housing Secy in GoI.My coming to New Delhi is a story itself. At this time of the Assam agitation was in full swing and the targets were Bengalis first then rest of Indian. But later their anger was on IAS officers who were from Assam Civil Service. There was a killing of a son of one and a bomb blast in another in our basti. These two set me on a path of moving out of the place.

I was selected by UPSC from among 15 called for the interview, and the favourite of my boss was not, and therefore the delay in my joining. The interview was in Dec 82, and my wife asked an astro question whose reply was 25 Mar 83, and when my boss telephoned from Delhi on 1 Apr (Fools day) I asked him if the letter is signed on 25 Mar. He thought that I have contacts at Delhi. Next after a long lapse of time she asked when are we leaving Gauhati and my reply was 20 Aug, which happened.

As usual I came by car, but this time with a driver and took the route of upper India, via Lucknow. It took four days and on the way stayed in a remote Dak Bungalow, with no door latches frayed carpets and nowhere near any town. It was scary but good stay. Lucknow we stayed in a small hotel and went to see my younger daughter. Ultimately when we landed at my brothers place the truck had arrived and dumped the luggage in some godown. We had to re transport them to a house taken on rent at Rs 800 at Paschim Vihar a remote place in those days standard. House was a DDA flat 2 bed room at the top floor, the landlord was really a gentleman.

I explored the ways and means to go to the office situated at Block 14 in CGO Complex near JN Stadium on the 5^th floor. First time I went by car and found there are chartered buses from our locality ie Jwalamukhi. The bus was mainly with a lot of official from RAW, who do not speak about their department but the secret nature of their work. The only problem was that I had to leave 5 min to 5 to catch the bus, and that brought in a letter from the Dy Secy for early departure. The letter was later was however withdrawn. Just like the steel plant in the later half I carried a tiffin box followed by Mungfali with friends.

One of the Jt Advisor who was from Min of Transport Mr Kalra, who had worked at Africa and my Advisor was Mr Ratnam, a fine gentleman to the boots. The work was nice and quite different. By dint of the position I was holding I became member of various committees. One is ISI, which later was named as BS. The other was a member secretary of a team to investigate how a project is completed within the time frame. They are Kudremukh Iron Ore Project and other Salem Steel. The other active member was one Mazumdar CMD of Hospital Consultancy, with whom I made two trips to Bangalore, Mangalore and the Project site. The other was a tour with the Advisor to Nalco at Angul and Damanjodi in helicopter. The heli pilot one from Army’s artillery came back once due to visibility. He had to do the maintenance at Damajodi after landing.

After my motor cycle days the first car accident took place with me driving, and my wife broke her leg. By that time we had shifted from Pashim Vihar to Kidwai Nagar West 212, which was allotted to me at a rent of Rs 135 plus Rs 5 for a garage later. It had a servant qr and there was no problem on the domestic front.

One memorable day Mr Ratnam came near my door and asked for by age and vanished. Later I found that I was selected for a Colombo Plan course, in which I fitted in, the other was overage. The passport was made in a couple of days.I left for a 10 weeks course on prj management course at Slough in England. The institute was Urwick Management Centre, which was later taken over by Price Waterhouse. We were in the 4^th batch consisting of different nationalities like one ach from Nigeria, Madagascar,Pakistan, Bangaladesh, Papua New Guinea and about 4 from India.

The timing of chapters are not in sequence.

1985-90

1985-90

Towards the end of ’85, during Rajiv days the govt decided to prune the departments by 5 %, and the axe fell on the deputation officers from organizations other than the regular cadres. During this time I applied for the post of Director in couple of public sectors, but aspired for schedule A and B PSUs with no luck. Had I applied for C or D there was a very bright chance. Some got and prospered and others were sacked after 2 years. One rose to the rank of CMD and went to jail. There was a period of uncertainty and on 31 Mar 86 was relieved from the govt. I applied for sick leave and tried to retain the house at Kidwai Nagar.

This period was akin to my post matric days, doing absolutely nothing. The elder daughter was meanwhile transferred to Cuttack medical college, and younger one at Miranda doing her MA in English. I revived my casual flying at Safdurjung, and visiting two places one my brother the famous retina surgeon, and other my brother in law, who later became MD of Paradeep Phosphates.

Unfortunately first one wanted to get married to a NRI, at Bhubaneswar and we had to go to Bhub for the marriage. The younger one was left alone for her exams.

Meanwhile I was posted to Nagothane 100 Km south of Bombay as No 2 for Gas Cracker complex. After a long time I stayed as a bachelor in a cool room with attached bath and a perfect canteen costing Rs 450 per month. I took my car by train also for the first time, which I sold after 17 years. This was like marrying a daughter off.The project was very interesting, staff and boss good. The boss was SK Roy one of the finest gentleman, and he used to send me on tour to Delhi or Bombay. During this period my family had to vacate the govt house and shift to a small place at Malaviya Nagar.

In tours I used to stay in this small place, and I purchased a Maruti Van which we kept at my brothers place at Kavery apartment. At site I used to climb all the mountains, and go for shikar once in a while.

Meanwhile there was a requisition for me from NIDC thanks to my friend Mr A Prasad, who became the Jt Secy of Industry. I joined as Chief Engineer in Jan 88 and after a small stint for Navodaya Vidyalaya at Chanakyapuri office, I shifted to SCOPE Complex at Lodhi Road just opposite of Block 14 of CGO Complex. My counterpart was my friend and mentor Susanta Sengupta, who gave a space for my car in the underground parking.Susequently I was promoted to the rank of Gen Mgr with a princely pay of Rs 6000/-

The site was across Yamuna at Lakshminagar Dist Centre, a multistory Office Complex of 1 million sqft space 24 story and work was really interesting. As soon I joined NIDC we shifted to Munirka, a decent house with good neighbors.

I was using my car to travel, and there were 5 red lights on the way which increased to 21 in 3 years. L&T was the contractor, who has finished the lotus temple just then. They did a marvelous job of completing the structural framework -24 floor tower in 45 days and 12 floor tower in 30 days. Other contractors were engaged for electrical and sanitary works.

This building was supposed to be an intelligent building, with computer controlled heating, lighting, fire control, security, car parking, mail dispatch etc. My joke was that if someone smokes a cigar in the room there will be alarm and water will start sprinkling in the room. There was a provision of helipad at the roof, especially for ONGC, who had booked the maximum number of floors.

2010-15

            2010-15

            On March 1, 2011, I got a call for a post of site engineer in Gandhi group of colleges, and the chairman was so impressed that he wanted me teach in spite of the fact that I had only 6 years of teaching experience. 3 days later he called me and appointed as project manager of one college, and on completion move to another as associate professor. He was also impressed by my trimmed beard, which I had to shave off for going abroad, due to the photo in the passport. I had one site engineer who never attended to the job and the adm department was running the show. I was         consulted rarely, and I waited for the later one to teach.

After two months I went on leave to Alexandria, Egypt, where my younger daughter was staying. The elder one also came there with her son after a fortnight. We saw the citadel, library, palace, once with my so in law and second time, I became the guide for my daughter and grandson. Together we saw the pyramids of giza and the spinks, cruise in river nile at cairo,and catacombs at alex.

Onward journey with a stop over at Mumbai was smooth, including the travel by road from cairo to Alexandria. The road known as desert highway is having several flyovers under construction and both sides are green with very little sand dunes. The stay was a palace in 10^th floor in an apartment block near state museum and governors’ house. My daughter saw the incidents during revolution including death, and has started seeing ghosts, who are benign and never created any problems. The last one sat on her bed and cried. We never saw one. Anyway this was the reason for changing the house to a modern apartment on 21^st floor over four seasons’ hotel and malls, overlooking the sea. You can see miles from both verandahs including submarine lights.

In the earlier house we used to cross the marine drive through a subway to go to the sea for swim, take roadside tea and see fishing. The later one you have to cross on the road with real policemen, who were absent after revolution. We used long walks with a lot of cats but no dogs.

2005-10

2005-10

The only package in NHAI in Orissa was finally completed in Jun 06 and I stayed one more month upto Jul 06.

In the month of Mar 06, I got an offer of a top job in Keonjhar Infrastructure Dev Co, which I differed by 3 months, and finally joined on 1 Jul on part time basis and 1 Aug on full time basis. The new company sent me on a foreign trip to Germany to negotiate with a company Wirtgen for supply of machines on hire, which I succeeded, but with foam bitumen road. Since we decided for a concrete road further negotiation were done by our eminent Vice Chairman and deal was through. This road is only 28 Km two laning on NHAI standard on a village road which is for mining trucks loaded with 20 t load, and was in a dilapidated state.

After several changes latest was to build a Foam bitumen layer over which a Continuous concrete pavement will be laid. This is the first time in India with foam bitumen and only composite pavement of bitumen and concrete. Since no major contractor was willing to do the work, we had to award to a local one without tender for the base work and CD works numbering 85.

  

Simultaneously I got an offer of Resident Engineer for the longest rail bridge of the state in a consultancy SOWiL- Halcrow JV and did join on 21 Aug. I used to commute daily to Jagatpur just across Cuttack and work was very interesting. The days when I go to the Keonjhar I used leave without pay.

This is the 2^nd rail bridge across Mahanadi and of a length of 2.1 Km longest in the state. Gammon India was the contractor for substructure in the conventional well foundation except one with caisson. The change on the original drawing is of the abutment at Cuttack side, where a road is passing under the last span. For this I had to design a retaining wall on the approach of the embankment.

The superstructure is of open web girder and the contractors are BBJ.

The numbers of spans are 32 each of 65.84 m. and the entire fabrication by welding cum riveting was done at the site as against the railways pattern of fabricating at workshop and transporting to site. The erection was by incremental launching with one anchor span erected on the left approach embankment. The connection between the anchor span and span to be erected is by a linking specially designed, which is repeatedly used for subsequent spans.

The design consultants have completed their job before tendering. All the changes has to be done at site. I found this an opportunity in picking up CAD operation in the computer, so that I do not depend on the project office. My personal contribution was complete as far as the CRC road diversion on Cuttack side with necessary changes in abutment design, new design of huge retaining walls and reducing the depth of sinking from -32 to -20, ie 12 meters.

Working with railway engineers with their inflated egos was difficult, but eventually they accepted that I know the job.

Meanwhile Keonjhar project was stopped due to non contribution of stakeholders share and non availability of loans from the banks. I approached ILFS for finance and they have become our PMC in place of the one SM Consultants. They succeeded in getting a contractor fixed. 

Meanwhile the other job of Rail Bridge was going so fast, that ADB, RVNL were of the opinion that this is only project which is in time and cost. A lot of people visited the site including MoS Railways Mr Velu.

On the Keonjhar side government called a meeting and threatened to take away the work. I resigned the job of CEO, but was kept as an Advisor chargeable to OSIL instead of Kidco effective 1 Mar 08. 

 Even though the bridge proper was completed in time the track laying both on the bridge and approaches took a long time. These works are sub let to 2 parties, who have no resources, and therefore RVNL took direct charge in order to expedite. The supply of SEJs and channel sleepers with fittings were also delayed. Ultimately the double engine passed through at 10,20and 30 km/h for testing of deflection and lateral shift on 1 Jul 08.

The Commissioner of Railway Safety gave the clearance on 18^th Jul and trains started running from 19^th, the fastest ever in Railways. The Chairman of Railway Board formally inaugurated and flagged off on 26^th stating that this project has been completed with no time or cost overrun and congratulated RVNL, consultants and the contractors on excellent quality work with good progress.

My services came to an end on 31 Dec 08, but was asked to continue. Then a bombshell fell on 14 Jan 10 of non approval of the extension. Meanwhile the Project Manager at Bhubaneswar resigned and finally left on 1 Apr 09, and I was asked to look after the job till July end for Mahanadi and KT projects. The approval was however was for Mahanadi only, in order to make the final bill, variation statement etc. There was a further extension upto end of Aug, for which the salary was not paid by SOWiL yet. I completed all the above except handing over the documents and equipment to RVNL.

The above period was under Jupiter’s 4^th house aspect. It shifted to 5^th house on 19 Dec 09 and my interview for the next assignment was on 20 Dec at Pal Height. Posting for the post of Construction Engineer in Meinhardt Singapore Pte Ltd at Bhubaneswar came on 22^nd and I joined on 23^rd.When I approached the clients OWSSB, they asked for approved cv and a letter from the company. This continued till 15^th Jan. Team Leader joined on 20^th and real work started in Feb 10.The name of the project was Integrated Sewerage system under 12^th Finance Commission and JnNURM for 6 sewerage districts.

The construction work was awarded 2 years back to ECCI Chennai,for dist I, II, III,which we are to supervise, along with additional work of survey, design and execution for the remaining districts.

After a long time I was the first to join and there was no office, and the clients refused to accept me since there is no official communication from the company. This continued for a fortnight after which there was a semblance of activities. A chap came from head office for fixing a house for office which was under construction, which we could occupy only on 10 Feb, 10.fans could come by 20 Mar 10.Salary comes in installments that too for a foreign company.

Finally I gave a notice ending on 31 Jul 10, while the company released on 31 Aug 2010.

Then another Sen of the Railways forced one co McML System Pvt Ltd to take me as a Project Manager for 3^rd railway line from Jakhapura to Haridaspur with hq at Badachana.I worked there from 1 Nov to 16 Nov and left due to food and other logistic problem.

Finally after 15 years post retirement work, I hope I finally retired but not tired, and am existing but not living a meaningful life.