Narayan Kumar

You can find me over at 1, Crooked Lane, right in the heart of the Chowringhee North area. It’s a very old part of the city, near the Bow Barracks, so the streets are narrow and usually pretty crowded. My space here isn't anything special to look at. It’s just an old room with a heavy door and windows that let in the street noise. I spend most of my day sitting here, dealing with whatever comes across my desk. People who know the area know that Crooked Lane is exactly what the name says. It can be hard to find if you’re not used to these old Kolkata blocks. I’ve lived and worked around here for a long time, so I’ve seen the neighborhood change quite a bit, but this building stays more or less the same. There’s a lot of history in the walls, though mostly it’s just peeling paint and old wires. I don't have a big team or fancy gadgets. It’s just me and a few people who help out with the daily tasks. We take our breaks when we can, usually getting a snack from the vendors outside. The weather gets really humid in the summer, and the fan just moves the warm air around, but we’re used to it. It’s a simple life here in the middle of all the bustle. Just trying to keep things moving and stay on top of the work. Sometimes the rain floods the lane, which slows everything down even more.