Back to the Roo=
ts
Shahana Sayeed
Shahana=
is from the Indian Railways
family. Her father, Shri M Sayeed,
is an ex-DyCCM
from SER. She is working as a Quality Consultant in
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I=
t was in
an attempt to trace back ‘my roots’ that I stumbled across this
page (IRAS Times).
While growing up behind the sheltered confines of a Railway colony, I had
always wondered what it would be like to live in the outside world – =
to
lead a ‘civil life’. Though I sometimes doubted my abilities, I=
was
determined to do everything on my own. And I mean everything – right =
from
finding an apartment to move into, setting it up, making my own travel
arrangements, getting a primary physician, doing not just fancy shopping but
also getting grocery and other utilities, getting things fixed around the
house...the list is endless. There were so many ‘firsts’ for me
(like trying to explain to friends the meaning of ‘papa had gone on a
line-duty!’)
Now, most of the junta might disregard all this as ‘no-big-deal’
but I am sure kids like me who have moved out from the Railway colony would
empathize. Fact is, we have never done this! Not=
that
we couldn’t do it, just that there was never a need for it. Where was=
the
need to hire a ‘good broker’ to see 20 different houses before
moving into one?!
Let's face it, we have had it real easy while gr=
owing
up, at least until Class XII. Some of us were exposed to ‘ the ways of
the world’ when we went away to hostels for our Bachelors but even th=
en
we took solace thinking of the ‘comforts’ of going ‘back
home’.
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br>
Nowhere do I mean to imply that we were a bunch of spoilt, pampered, weakli=
ngs
incapable of moving a muscle. God has been kind to lead us the right way an=
d we
have moved on in life, successful in our own ways. We are working across the
globe in software firms, BPO’s, manufactu=
ring
units, financial firms, in retail, NGO’s etc in various capacities. S=
ome
of us are studying to get an MBA / MS from a top notch university. And it w=
ould
be very unfair to not give credit to the ‘colony-life in railwaysR=
17;
that was so conducive to learning and setting a strong base. That amidst all
the comforts, fun, gossips and competition, we grew up, not different from =
any
other kid, with an aim to excel.
After spending four ‘railway-less’ years, coming across this si=
te,
reading articles, seeing some names and designations that sound so familiar,
have brought back gushing memories of the wonderful times I have had staying
there. It surely felt like getting back to my roots.
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