When Covid-19 hit and lockdown was clamped, people had to confine themselves to homes, whether they liked it or not. This confinement disturbed everyone’s lives in some way or the other. The disturbing scenes flashed on television screens – of hospitals, ambulances, people dying – created a lot of stress in people, with many reporting depression, anxiety and panic attacks during this period.
However, at the same time, there were people who utilized this enforced ‘holiday period’ to explore their passions, which they couldn’t earlier because of paucity of time. One of them is IAS officer Rajeshwar Singh. A 1989-batch officer who is currently the Chairman of the Board of Revenue, Rajasthan, he started penning down his thoughts and feelings in beautiful poems and stories. And, within no time, he created an identity for himself in the world of poets and writers. The officer who also held apex positions in the Rajasthan State Road Transport Corporation and Panchayati Raj is now a well-known face in the literary field.
During a conversation with Indian Masterminds, Mr. Singh spoke about his passion for writing and revealed his future literary plans.
VORACIOUS READER
Mr. Singh who comes from a small village near Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, is a voracious reader. Apart from politics and philosophy, literature is his favourite subject. He is a fan of literary stalwarts like Phanishwar Nath Renu, Munshi Premchand, Kabir and Muktibodh.
“I read both fictional and non-fictional and was fortunate enough to read the Vedas. I realized that reading is a necessary process to understand life and how to make it better. I used to contemplate this a lot, and it became the focal point for my writings, whether it is a poem, a story or an essay.”
EXPLORED WRITING IN LOCKDOWN
Being in administration, Mr. Singh used to always remain busy in work and hardly got time to indulge in his hobbies and passions.
“I have always been associated with positions which demanded complete focus and responsible approach. So, it was difficult for me to give time to my other passions. Then Covid-19 hit and for one month I was confined to home. I was not involved in the crisis management, so I got enough time for myself. It was then that I started reading a lot and, as a result, a multitude of thoughts entered my head. I just needed to express those thoughts with a logical continuity.”
The first poem he wrote was ‘Jeevancharya’ which talks about the life of a human who, after birth, becomes the center point for the whole family. Those few people are his world, but when he grows up, he becomes a tiny part of this universe and tries to adjust with this society. He faces some win, some loss, and life goes on for him.
Mr. Singh is greatly inspired by Phanishwar Nath Renu. He quotes from Renu’s writings: “A man should be social and society should be human. I truly believe in this and try to emulate it when I write.”
He has till now written about 40 poems, 12 stories and 15 essays. One of his famous stories is ‘Kayakalp & Mitra.’ His works have been published in many vernaculars and national newspapers.
NOVEL PLAN
Mr. Singh hopes to write a novel. Outlining a tentative plan, he says: “I came from a village, joined Allahabad University, and became a part of the bureaucracy. I have so many stories and experiences that can take the shape of a novel. The representation of Varanasi and Prayagraj has been far from reality in cinemas and literature. Since I come from there, I think I can do justice to this subject. Even my experiences in bureaucracy can be turned into a book. However, it’s in planning stage. Lets’ see how it goes.”
