IRFCA-Indian Railway's Fan Club Association

I am not going to talk about a multinational firm or a government organisation. I am going to write about an organisation which is dedicated to the Indian Railway fans. It gives me immense pleasure to write about IRFCA. IRFCA stands for Indian Railways Fan Club Association which comprises of more than 5000 members globally.

Interaction among IRFCA members is not just by electronic mail. Occasionally, members of the IRFCA mailing list in a particular region may also meet in person to go railfanning at local train stations or on longer trips (by train, hiking, etc.), or sometimes just to chat about trains etc. It is only through these trips, I saw many hidden beauties of Indian Railways. And it is only after joining IRFCA, I got the peculiar habit of taking photographs of trains.

I saw IRFCA first in 2004, when I accidentally accessed the IRFCA server to see videos and pictures. It fascinated me a lot. Finding it interesting, I signed up for to the mailing list. And man, the next day I checked my mailbox to find around 75 mails. I realised that this IRFCA forum was no joke, but a serious discussion forum dedicated to the Indian Railways. I visited the IRFCA gallery site and saw many pictures. I downloaded a lot of videos. Almost around 200 videos in a single day. My father was also excited on seeing the website. We both are rail fans so we felt as if the website was like heaven. Then I started reading the mails. It was full of technical facts, information, spottings of strange locos, shed details, trip reports. I have always wondered how a loco cab would look like and how would the controls would be like. I accessed different parts of the website and I found various details. I found out how the Indian Railway system works.

Then I went to the IRFCA's Yahoo! mailing list. I noted down a few id's and added them in my messenger. The first person whom I met in IRFCA was Aditya Prbahakar from Hyderabad. I chatted with him for about a month and then he came here to Chennai just for the sake of meeting me. We went all around the sub-urbs and we had a nice time with the engines. Then Aditya introduced Zubin Dotivala to me.Zubin is 39, but still he moves with me well. If I am depressed, restless or mentally upset I talk to Zubin. Zubin has been a good mentor and a good friend. Love you!

Then came Deepesh Soni, Abhisbhek Risbud, Abhishek Salian etc etc. And within a year I know many IRFCAn's across India. It took another one more year and I was open to the US chapter. Eventhough they work for big companies like GE, Microsoft they are still railnuts and they are crazier than me when it comes to trains.


IRFCA has helped me a lot. When I was in my tenth grade, I wasn't able to speak English properly. My communication skill was very poor. At the same time, I wasn't much exposed to the outside world. However, within a span of two years IRFCA has transformed me into a confident individual. After moving with many fellow IRFCA guys, my language has improved, my confidence improved and I was buzzing with self confidence. What really happened? Well, while interacting with people, I had no other choice than using English. So naturally, I learnt English. I really struggled a lot and within no time, I gained it. Ask Aditya, he would know better:).


Apart from talks regarding Railways, I have approached senior members tips and advice. Whenever I feel bothered, I use to have a chat with Zubin and Sundar Krishna Murthy. We use to share a lot of ideas. They have stood along with me during tougher times of my life. Perhaps, the most important event was my job hunt. I lost my first interview. My world was shattered into to pieces. But the Chennai chapter came to the rescue. Harish.K counselled me and nurtured optimism. Then I had a talk with Aravind.S (Saidapet South Cabin Controller). He told what's life all about and he told he got selected only in his third interview.


Through God's grace, assisted by my HOD(who is also in IRFCA) and guided by IRFCA mentally, I got placed. Today I have an air of confidence around me. I have improved a lot, especially socially. Our bondage is strong and our relationship is true. That's why IRFCA prospers.

LONG LIVE IRFCA!

LONG LIVE THE INDIAN RAIWAYS!

GOD BLESS IRFCA MEMBERS!

Please visit us at http://www.irfca.org/


-Krishna Kumar.S
IRFCA
Chennai.

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