They chase deadlines and write codes in machine language. But left to themselves, the warriors of automation are happy to go manual, to let imagination break free from the structured digitised world of information technology.
Swapna Bhor senior citizens’ park in New Town recently was witness to a novel initiative — the launch of Tathya-Kalpa-Galpo, described in the book as “a collection of short stories by creative minds in IT firms”.
It all started with Pijush Ranjan Ghosh, an IBM employee, sharing an idea with friends cum fellow techies Atanu Progyan Bandyopadhyay and Souvik Das — a short story contest for IT professionals.
A Facebook page was created and a call for entries sent out. “Pijush convinced me that there were enough creative minds in the IT industry and said that he was already approaching human resource development departments in various firms and putting up posters on their notice boards,” said accountant-turned-full time writer Binod Ghoshal, who came up with a name for the contest - Tathya Kalpo Galpo.
“At first we were sceptical about response but after some weeks a friend from Holland sent the first story. Soon the stories started rushing in like a tidal wave,” Ghoshal smiled.
Out of a total of about 300 stories, 25 were chosen. A prize distribution ceremony was held last year at Nazrul Tirtha. By then, a young publisher Maruf Hossain, had joined hands with them. Three more stories were added by the initiators of the project, Souvik, Pijush and Atanu and the material was ready for a book.
Souvik, an electronics and telecommunications engineer from Jadavpur University, has co-edited the book and has contributed a surrealistic story. “Even in my university days, I contributed to the college journal. But after taking up a job, I simply had no time or inclination left to write. The wish resurfaced in 2010.” Since then, he has written a novel which was picked up by Anandalok for its Puja issue and subsequently printed as a book by Ananda Publishers.
IT secretary Debashis Sen was present at the launch to encourage the initiative. “Perhaps the next challenge for writers will be to fit stories into 140 characters to be posted on Twitter,” he said.
Both veteran consultant Roopen Roy and Wiccan priestess Ipsita Roy Chakraverti pointed to unlikely backgrounds of authors. “Name a chemist from Parsibagan Lane who mastered satire,” Roy asked, drawing responses in chorus of Rajsekhar Basu, who wrote under the pen name Parashuram. Chakraverti illustrated how Agatha Christie used her experience as a pharmacist in her first published novel The Mysterious Affair at Styles. “In the story, Hercule Poirot detects the death of a woman to be due to strychnine poisoning. Harper Lee also got bored of her airline ticket agent’s job and wrote To Kill A Mocking Bird. Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay was an estate manager in Bhagalpur when he wrote Pather Panchali,” she said, pointing out that an author needed to have experience to apply to his writings and the expertise to be able to do that.
“There have been so many doctors who have been authors — Banaphool, Abhijit Tarafdar, Sukanta Chattopadhyay, Satyaki Haldar… I always wondered why there never has been an engineer,” laughed novelist Swapnamoy Chakraborty.
“But when I read your work I will assess you as authors. I will not make concessions by remembering your background,” warned author Pracheta Gupta.
Another warning came from Binod Ghoshal. “Do not set out to be a full-time writer unless you have sorted out resources to keep the home fires burning.”
Several senior officials from the industry were also present. “Our jobs can be monotonous. So it is good for the institution if we encourage creativity. It provides diversion and is good for the work environment,” said Anindya Mitra, director, IBM.
The team plans to make Tathya-Kalpa-Galpo an annual event, in collaboration with Kolkata Commons.
