Aches for An Architect

Aches for An Architect

P K Routray

 

 

Dot on time in the chair

braving the weather, foul or fair

on foot, by lift or by public transport

a punctuality in life he did never abort

for any duty official or social, in night or day 

as a youth, an employee or a retiree with hair grey.

A two-wheeler or a four-wheeler he drove never

at the call of a caution foreseen by a fortune teller.

Clean remained his table with quick disposals of files,

the absence of steno, typist or a PC could not rob him of his styles.

With the pitch of tone below normal, he could administer and deliver

the raw, the tribal, the fresher submitted to his cool, calm composure.

Management techniques many more of his own creation

awe strike this naïve colleague, in his absence on recollection.

A civil engineer from BITS Pillani with high ambition to climb

moved from RSP via BSL and BALCO to NALCO at his prime

to build NALCO from conception to completion, commissioning to operation

with manpower from tribal within targeted time and budget provision.

Its continual profit since inception brought world players’ focused attention

“ Orissa’s neglected Bauxite and tribal can do wonders beyond comprehension.”

Traveled he on untrodden paths on hilly terrain with the alien atmosphere

daily battling through the thick dusty air, ignoring snakes, wolves, and bear

skipping lunch under compulsion drinking water from streams on the way

overpowering the fear of losing the return path in fading light to go astray

often on foot alone or at times with tribal leading the way on his mission

to build NALCO caring a fig for his family burden and the social comparison.

Forgot he himself as the son-in-law of the then most powerful civil engineer

with the support of his spouse to build NALCO his vision nothing could blear.

Thus from the neglected bauxite deposit of his state in its backward region

surged ahead NALCO illumining the world over on gibbsite, the blurred vision.

The reference point once he peg marked to lay out the project

known now after him as “Patnaik point” on a hillock protected with respect

will stand to speak out Mr Patnaik’s hardship’s story and Nalco’s history.

and to sweetly sing on our behalf with gratitude this visionary’s glory.

Dreamt he while walking, while resting, while talking the cosmos the infinity

when we last met, amazed was I, for the cosmos he at eighty still had the affinity.

There with a sigh revealing his latent expressions

he looked at the snap of his grandson to fulfill his ambitions.

Feel I privileged to meet him on his invitation over a cup of tea.

dwelt he on his life that I lightly took never knowing again him I cannot see.

I feel now humbled sharing the office with him and guesthouse accommodations

Regret I passing over my brain with fun on his visions his wise deliberations.

We NALCONIANS collectively in the job and retired from the job jointly pray

“Bless our Akshay Pattnaik with peace and bliss and a permanent Heavenly stay”.

 

 

(N.B. Mr Akshay Patnaik was the first person to be posted at Sunabeda from BALCO as Project Engineer, who was responsible for setting up of Project office at Sunabeda and co-ordinated preparation of Project Report to foundation laying by Late Smt Indira Gandhi. When he started the project activities from Sunabeda, there was no approach road to the present Damanjodi site, where the NAVARATNA  PSU NALCO stands, he was later transferred from BALCO to NALCO. He left for heavenly abode on 1^st October 2018. He has left behind his wife, son & two daughters.

It is a tribute to him from his colleague. He was my colleague for fifteen years)