A professional writer, a social thinker, and the Accountant General of West Bengal
At the click of a mouse Benjamin Lakra can rattle off fiscal figures of the West Bengal government, which one may say, he is expected to, in any case, he being employed as an accountant general.
So, when one comes across books and articles credited to an author Benjamin Lakra, one can be forgiven for scratching one's head and wondering if the strong, satirical language dealing with burning issues of the day are by the same man busy compiling fiscal data. For, that's not very expected from a man dealing with fiscal figures. People often wonder if this is the same Benjamin Lakra about whom the young talk so enthusiastically and draw inspiration from. He is all this. And much more.
His life story is the story bollywood blockbusters are made of. There's simply no stopping him. Nothing ever did. For if a man didn't get disheartened even after having to work as a manual labourer after graduating from an institution like St Xavier's College, Ranchi, very little else can. And he proved it by continuously reaching new milestones in his career.
From his beginning in a middle class family in Jharain village of Simdega district to where he is now, it's a journey worth looking back with pride.
Coming to Patna after his graduation, he found the employment scene not so bright, even in mid 1970s. But not one to sit back and wait, he started with a job of loading sand on trucks and tractors at Pahalwanghat. Moving on to be a peon after a year, while holding on to hopes of better things. He kept up with his readings and writings, contributing articles to various leading periodicals, which was satisfying, but obviously not enough to make ends meet.
His hard work began to pay off and he became an assistant teacher in an English-medium school, which is today considered one of the best schools in the capital. After two years of dedicated teaching, he became the principal of the school. But he knew this was not the end of his destined journey.
Quitting the post, he became a clerk-cum-currency note examiner at RBI, Patna. In 1982 he was selected for the Indian Audit and Accounts Service (IAAS).
Today, after 25 years in the services, he stands as rooted to the grounds as he ever was, embracing all his achievements with a quiet humility, proud of the effort that has gone behind the carving out of his destiny, but not boastful of it.
He has held important positions in different parts of the country but remains one of the few senior officials who is accessible to people. But being accessible doesn't mean he doesn't know where to draw the line. Even off the record comments are hard to draw out of him, if he feels he ought not to.
But talk to him about contemporary literature, tribal affairs or challenges facing the youth, and he will pour his heart out. Ask him about this and he straightaway says: I am a munshi (accountant). Though I have updated accounts of everything, I cannot divulge information.
But that hardly matters. One has more interesting things to hear from him. With the kind of experiences he has picked up in his life, it's not surprising he has even penned an autobiography. True to his personality and interests, it's called Aye Yuva Tu Rota Kyun Hai? and hit the stands about 3 years ago.
It's not a soft, romantic rumblings of how he made it. It's very satirical and strong in its comments and confessions, which actually managed to stir quite a controversy in literary circles. This writer's honesty didn't even spare his father, which is evident from the title of the chapter dedicated to his father Abhaga ludhakta Patthar (unfortunate rolling stone).
His creative juices are far away from being dried up. Yuva Doston Ke Nam khusat Buddhe ki Chittiyan is his compilation of 12 well-researched articles. These articles give the youth valuable tips on personality development and character building.
It's a subject he has a sound grip on, his writings on youth and tribals published in leading journals already having been well appreciated by known anthropologists and social scientists.
A self-made man, Lakra doesn't even wait for publishers. He wants his ideas to reach the people, and to do which if he has to publish his works himself, he is willing to walk that extra step. He stocks and sells them from his house, too. For every problem, he has his solutions.
An active social worker, Lakra is also the president of Kurdeg Students Association. He was the secretary of RBI SC and ST Employees' Association and has been associated with various tribal and catholic organisations. He has addressed over a hundred social and religious gatherings in different parts of the country.
"Our youth needs proper guidance. I strongly feel that the youth today are emotionally challenged," he said. As if so many interests are not enough to juggle, Lakra is a keen gardener, too. And his wife Jacainta, who earlier worked as a translator with the Bihar government, says they hardly ever have to buy vegetables, rather, they even have enough to gift some away.
Having seen so many sides of him, Lakra is perfectly summed up by one of his probationers, who says Lakra is an inspiration for them, someone they can count on, always.
By Sudhir Kumar Mishra
At the click of a mouse Benjamin Lakra can rattle off fiscal figures of the West Bengal government, which one may say, he is expected to, in any case, he being employed as an accountant general.
So, when one comes across books and articles credited to an author Benjamin Lakra, one can be forgiven for scratching one's head and wondering if the strong, satirical language dealing with burning issues of the day are by the same man busy compiling fiscal data. For, that's not very expected from a man dealing with fiscal figures. People often wonder if this is the same Benjamin Lakra about whom the young talk so enthusiastically and draw inspiration from. He is all this. And much more.
His life story is the story bollywood blockbusters are made of. There's simply no stopping him. Nothing ever did. For if a man didn't get disheartened even after having to work as a manual labourer after graduating from an institution like St Xavier's College, Ranchi, very little else can. And he proved it by continuously reaching new milestones in his career.
From his beginning in a middle class family in Jharain village of Simdega district to where he is now, it's a journey worth looking back with pride.
Coming to Patna after his graduation, he found the employment scene not so bright, even in mid 1970s. But not one to sit back and wait, he started with a job of loading sand on trucks and tractors at Pahalwanghat. Moving on to be a peon after a year, while holding on to hopes of better things. He kept up with his readings and writings, contributing articles to various leading periodicals, which was satisfying, but obviously not enough to make ends meet.
His hard work began to pay off and he became an assistant teacher in an English-medium school, which is today considered one of the best schools in the capital. After two years of dedicated teaching, he became the principal of the school. But he knew this was not the end of his destined journey.
Quitting the post, he became a clerk-cum-currency note examiner at RBI, Patna. In 1982 he was selected for the Indian Audit and Accounts Service (IAAS).
Today, after 25 years in the services, he stands as rooted to the grounds as he ever was, embracing all his achievements with a quiet humility, proud of the effort that has gone behind the carving out of his destiny, but not boastful of it.
He has held important positions in different parts of the country but remains one of the few senior officials who is accessible to people. But being accessible doesn't mean he doesn't know where to draw the line. Even off the record comments are hard to draw out of him, if he feels he ought not to.
But talk to him about contemporary literature, tribal affairs or challenges facing the youth, and he will pour his heart out. Ask him about this and he straightaway says: I am a munshi (accountant). Though I have updated accounts of everything, I cannot divulge information.
But that hardly matters. One has more interesting things to hear from him. With the kind of experiences he has picked up in his life, it's not surprising he has even penned an autobiography. True to his personality and interests, it's called Aye Yuva Tu Rota Kyun Hai? and hit the stands about 3 years ago.
It's not a soft, romantic rumblings of how he made it. It's very satirical and strong in its comments and confessions, which actually managed to stir quite a controversy in literary circles. This writer's honesty didn't even spare his father, which is evident from the title of the chapter dedicated to his father Abhaga ludhakta Patthar (unfortunate rolling stone).
His creative juices are far away from being dried up. Yuva Doston Ke Nam khusat Buddhe ki Chittiyan is his compilation of 12 well-researched articles. These articles give the youth valuable tips on personality development and character building.
It's a subject he has a sound grip on, his writings on youth and tribals published in leading journals already having been well appreciated by known anthropologists and social scientists.
A self-made man, Lakra doesn't even wait for publishers. He wants his ideas to reach the people, and to do which if he has to publish his works himself, he is willing to walk that extra step. He stocks and sells them from his house, too. For every problem, he has his solutions.
An active social worker, Lakra is also the president of Kurdeg Students Association. He was the secretary of RBI SC and ST Employees' Association and has been associated with various tribal and catholic organisations. He has addressed over a hundred social and religious gatherings in different parts of the country.
"Our youth needs proper guidance. I strongly feel that the youth today are emotionally challenged," he said. As if so many interests are not enough to juggle, Lakra is a keen gardener, too. And his wife Jacainta, who earlier worked as a translator with the Bihar government, says they hardly ever have to buy vegetables, rather, they even have enough to gift some away.
Having seen so many sides of him, Lakra is perfectly summed up by one of his probationers, who says Lakra is an inspiration for them, someone they can count on, always.
By Sudhir Kumar Mishra
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