23/03/2026
Alakesh Manna Sir
“A professional journey spanning four decades is not merely a record of positions held, but a story of continuous learning, resilience, and service to the nation” a belief that has guided me through every phase of my career.
I began my career in thindustry, anarting with my carolen Ththendian Railways as an official anin 1986, followed by a stint at thendian Ordnance Factory Service through UPthe SC Engineering Service. I was the topper of Ththendian Engineering Service and joined the Union Ordnance Factory Service. Now I, am due to retire on superannuation 20in 2026, marking the endf my service life o,fwhich will bexactly 40 years a.nDurin have gained expertise in different areavariousillages to the suburbs anpidly growing and hustling , bustlingen outs,ias well as as well. This has allowed me to see India and its systems from multiple perspectives, both technical and administrative.
I was actually born in a very remote area in the district of Midnapore in West Bengal and I completed my schooling till class 10 from a school in the village and proceeded to do my 11 and 12 class in 1970 from St. Xavier's College Kolkata of that time then started my four years of degree and then I joined Indian Railway initially as a Junior Engineer. Coming from a remote background, each of these steps was a significant transition in itself.
At that time, it was a Class III post. That was my entry point into the system. Subsequently, I qualified the Institutiofor n of Engineers examination and then appeared for the UPSC examination. Through this, I joined Indian Railways as a Deputy Superintendent of Mechanical Engineering.After joining, it was identified that the position was actually a Class II post, which was quite surprising. That moment of transition from a Class III role to a Class II role was both unexpected and motivating. After two years of service, I was promoted to Superintendent Engineer, and later appointed as Assistant Works Manager, which is a Class One post. This gradual progression from Class III to Class I roles became a defining aspect of my career growth.