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Book Review:India’s Railway Man: A Biography of E. Sreedharan by Rajendra B. Aklekar

by Enakshi J
(Bangalore, India)

Name of the Book: India’s Railway Man: A Biography of E. Sreedharan
Author: Rajendra B. Aklekar
Publisher: Rupa Publishers
Rating: 3/5

Who doesn’t know the name of the man who revolutionized the way of commute of the Delhites? Yes, I am talking about Mr. E. Sreedharan, a retired IES and ex DMRC chief. Many stories have been told about his life- both by himself and by media. And it should not surprise you that many versions of the biography of E. Sreedharan are also available in the market. ‘India’s Railway Man’ is a biography published by Rupa Publishers.
No doubt that the contribution made by Mr. Sreedharan is huge, for the metro has turned out not only to be effective but also an affordable mode of transport. And this biography is a small gesture of appreciation for the hard work and dedication put by the Kerala-born personality. Mr. Sreedharan believes in working his fingers to the bone and giving a top-notch performance. He engineered the first Indian Metro. He is the man of his words and when he was given the task of taking care of the blueprint of the Calcutta Metro Plan and implementing it, he aced the test.
Not only has he worked ethically but has also traveled a lot. Starting his engineering days in Calcutta and then moving on to assist the Konkan Project, followed by Delhi Metro Project- he has traveled many parts of India. And still, he does not want to tie his hands owing to old age. His love for work made him get appointed as the Chief Advisor for Lucknow Metro Project.

In this book, a more professional approach has been taken by the author and the details of all the projects Mr. Sreedharan was a part of, have been mentioned. Personally, we only get to know so little about him- he is spiritual and likes working with deadlines, he is a family man and devotes enough time to his family of four children. Lucid narration and the approach to exclude lengthy monologues make this book interesting. But I expected more on the personal life of the protagonist. At times, the details about the Metro Projects bored me and I had to flip through the pages. The clear and apt images add spices to the content of the book.

The editing of the book could have been better but the way the author has organized the chapters reflects his research and prowess to present content coherently.

With a good blurb, subtle cover, apt title and well-researched content, this book definitely proved out to be an enriching journey through the Indian railways. Getting to know the hero behind the iron wheels is something one cannot miss. The book is worth a read.

Buy this book from:Amazon