Jacob Balakrishnan

Jacob Balakrishnan operates out of the Railway Hospital Colony in Dhanbad, Jharkhand. It is a quiet corner of the city, away from the main coal mining dust and the heavy industrial noise that Dhanbad is usually known for. Living and working in a railway colony has a specific rhythm to it. You hear the distant sounds of trains and the whistles now and then, which becomes background music after a few days. The office is a modest space, basically just a room with the essentials. There are no glass walls or fancy reception areas here. It is more about having a desk, a couple of chairs for visitors, and a place to keep the ledgers. The garden outside has some trees that provide a bit of shade during the harsh Jharkhand summers, which we are always thankful for. Most people who come by are locals or people connected to the railway somehow. It feels very grounded and unpretentious. We don't have a big team, just a few people who have known each other for a long time. Everything moves at a steady pace, and we don't feel the need to rush things like they do in the big metros. On Sundays, the whole colony gets very still, and it is a nice change from the weekday routine. It is a practical, honest way to run a business in a place that feels like a real community.