Krupa Sagar Sahoo joined Indian Railway Traffic Service in 1978 and superannuated in 2012. He held many key positions in various divisions and zones of Indian Railway. He started his literary journey by publishing two volumes of poems but subsequently he forayed into fiction writing. Today he is a forerunner in the Odia literary firmament with twenty short story collections and eight fascinating novels to his credit. Though he has written numerous stories with railway as a backdrop, nature in all its manifestations, animals, birds and the common man, especially the rural folks are also some of the recurring themes in his writings. Many of his stories and poems have been translated into English and major Indian languages. He is a recipient of Odisha Sahitya Akademi Award 2009 for his novel ‘Shesha Sarat’ which has been translated to English under the title Chilika: A Love Story”.
In an interview to The Pioneer, Sahoo spoke to Sugyan Choudhury on many relevant issues concerning the railways and on his literary journey.
You have worked as an Indian Railway Traffic Service Officer for 34 years. What is the most satisfying thing you remember in your service career?
During my long innings in the railways, I have studied the mindset of most of my colleagues who were freight-oriented as maximum revenue comes from that segment. I focused my attention to passenger convenience and comfort. This customer orientation has earned me gratitude from rail users which has been immensely satisfying. I also paid much attention to staff welfare for which even after my retirement, many staffs fondly remember me.
Had the Railway focused on a vibrant railway traffic system, cases like Bahanaga rail tragedy could have been avoided? What is your response to this?
The Bahanaga rail tragedy occurred due to gross negligence on the part of railway staffs who violated standard procedure of safe working. The KAVACH technology has been considered as panacea to prevent such collisions in future. But this is a costly proposition and in a trial stage.
How could the Indian Railway deal with 11 billion passengers, 1,416 billion tonnes of freight be faster, safe and punctual? Is it the time when railway should contemplate using AI?
Railway infrastructure like track, rolling stock, locomotives have not kept pace with the rising demand of traffic. Thus, railway is focusing on enhancing infrastructure. Dedicated freight corridor is one such initiative. I don’t think time has come for using AI, which itself is in a nascent stage in a vast and complex network like railways.
You have worked in a sensitive post like Chairman, Railway Recruitment Board. What improvement have you brought about into the system to make it transparent?
During my tenure as Chairman of Railway Recruitment Board, Bhubaneswar, we introduced computerised evaluation of answer sheets which brought objectivity and transparency in the recruitment process.
At that time, lots of ST posts were not being filled up. So on the orders of Railway Board, we started a special drive to fill up those vacancies by faring out to ST dominated areas to create awareness among ST candidates to apply for railway jobs and we succeeded to a large extent.
You are more a litterateur than a railway officer in the minds of people, having penned twenty story collections and eight novels apart from writing children’s literature. Many of your creations have railway backdrop. What is your response to this observation?
Railway is a vast stage where many plays unfold everyday, where various types of actors play their part. I was an active spectator of these scenes and have tried to mingle with a large cross section of rail users on whom I have developed my stories. But I did not limit my themes to railway only. Nature is a predominant theme in my writings. I have written a number of stories on birds and animals. “Chilika: A Love Story” is a novel of mine written against the backdrop of Chilika lake in which birds are main protagonists.
You have been given the Odisha Sahitya Akadedmi Award in 2009 for your novel ‘Shesha Sarat’ which has been translated into many languages and has been widely acclaimed as a classic. Don’t you feel you deserve a Padma award for your outstanding contribution in the field of literature?
I am not fully aware of the criteria for conferring Padma awards nor have I applied for the same. Many deserving and more senior Odia writers have not been considered for Padma awards. As to this year’s list of awardees published in newspapers, literature has taken a back seat.
What is the theme of the popular novel “A station named Liligumma”? Is there a station called Liligumma or is it fictional like RK Narayan’s Malgudi Days?
There is a small picturesque station atop a hill named Liligumma on the Rayagada-Koraput branch line of East Coast Railway. The story revolves round the construction of the aforesaid branch line in the 1990s. The novel depicts the developments from the conception stage till it was dedicated to the public. The ordeal faced by railway officials in constructing the line in a difficult mountainous terrain involving numerous tunnels and bridges are the main themes of the novel. Thus, many incidents are factual. But the romance between a railway engineer and a local girl which has been dovetailed into the main story is fictional.
As a Railway traffic officer, your job was keeping a 24-hour vigil over running and monitoring of trains. How could you combine the hazards of a hectic profession with that of your creative journey?
I was inspired by the ideals of Radha Mohan Gadanaik, who hailed from my district Dhenkanal. I had in my mind to become a poet from my childhood. Though I wrote many poems and stories during childhood, those did not see the light of the day as I was born and brought up in a remotest village. My creative writings blossomed when I entered the Ravenshaw College and began receiving awards and accolades on my writings. Although my writings had suffered during my initial struggling years, yet I kept up to my passion with gusto by managing my strenuous job with that of writing and I have never looked back.
