State’s bus king

He is the leader of the only association for bus owners for the third year running, who has given a new dimension to the business. At present, Krishna Mohan Singh, president of Ranchi Bus Owners’ Association — the sole association for buses in the state — is in the thick of things for taking on the issue of extra road tax that is being demanded by the Bihar government from buses registered outside the state. For the 39-year-old alumnus of Ranchi College, it has been quite an achievement to get the Ranchi Regional Development Authority (RRDA) sanction and build an office for them. Singh has also the satisfaction of knowing that now the association gets to arbitrate the timing of different buses and settle their issues without the interference from the district commissioner’s office. And not only is that an achievement by itself in the state, but as Singh claims, it’s quite unique in the country. “I decided to run buses in 1994, when I bought my first bus with money borrowed by a financial institution in Tilaiya. To the sum, I added my family’s money and got help from friends. But soon, I realised running only one bus would not help. Then I borrowed some more money to buy a second bus, after six months,” says the young entrepreneur. Today he owns 17 buses and all ply on the longer routes. He admits that running and managing such a business is no smooth ride. But so far, he seems a pretty
confident captain, doing a great job.

Goodbye to wedding worries

For most people in the Agarwal community, Bhagchand Poddar (78), needs no introduction. The samaritan has emerged as a godfather to people from economically weaker sections and is responsible for arranging 201 marriages (nearly all expenses paid) since 14 years, now. “I have seven daughters. That, I believe, made me think of all those parents who have daughters to marry off and can’t do so due to financial constraints,” Also the founder-secretary of Agarwal Sabha, Poddar hit on the concept of mass marriage way back in 1991 when during a trip to Maharashtra, he witnessed a similar concept. “We created a system where families of both the bride and groom could have an introductory session and choose their partners accordingly,” said Poddar. This way, the young girls were given the freedom to choose their partners, a first of its kind phenomenon among an orthodox community. Soon the idea was followed by organisations across Jharkhand and Orissa. And for those wondering about the success rate of such mass weddings — it’s a 100 per cent, says a beaming Poddar. “I have not received any complaints either from the couples nor their families. I wish to carry on with my task with the same zest. When parents come to me for a suitable match, I can feel the anxiety in their eyes and that’s why I have to be doubly careful,” says he.

History shaped by bullets and bombs

From being a trade union activist to a successful businessman, Bikash Mukherjee, owner of two industrial units at Adityapur, has travelled a long way. Of late, he is in news for his book on the Second World War. It has always been a passion of his to try to unravel history of places destroyed by bullets and bombs. After years of toil the 59-year-old entrepreneur, feels happy and content after releasing his Hindi piece on the Second World War — Dwitya Vishwa Yudh - Manav Sabhayta Ke Itihas Ka Nirnayak More. “It took about one-and-a-half years to complete it. There are not many books on Second World War written in Hindi. Therefore, I decided to write it in this language. The book, besides being a compilation of all important war events, also contains comments and political analysis of those events,” he says. And there’s more — the former Prime Minister V.P. Singh has written the preface to the 350-page piece. The book is expected be released by Governor Syed Sibtey Razi at a function to be held in Jamshedpur on November 7. And it should be an interesting treat for history-enthusiasts as Mukherjee, who has in his collections about 10,000 rare pictures of the war collected during his visit to several countries, has added some of his gems to his work. There are 600 such rare photos that have found a place in his book.

Jill of many trades

These days, she’s rather nervous regarding the release of Loh Shikari on November 10. To be published by renowned publisher, Macmillan, the work is a translation of the English novel, The Ferrum Hunters, by Achintya Das and Hem Shanker Roy. Meet Vijay Sharma, faculty at the Loyola BEd College and a writer, who has carved a niche for herself in the field of Hindi literary criticism. With several remarkable projects to boast off, Sharma is undoubtedly one of the rare gems that the city can be proud of. From writing for national magazines — Naya Gyanoday, Jananpeeth Publication and Vartaman Sahitya — the lady is also associated with famous web sites — anyatha.com and boloji.com — two renowned Hindi portals. At present, she is busy with her new project, an analytical work based on lectures by several Nobel laureates. Sharma to her credit has also worked with Bhasha Parishad, Calcutta, for their series on world famous short stories. “I translated the works by Daggerman,” says Sharma. And that’s definitely not her only claim to fame. She has also translated works by some famous Latin American writers.