Living in digital age here is a woman who runs a post office

In a digital world where emails and text messages have replaced hand written letters, and online banking services have pushed post offices into oblivion, there resides 27-year-old Srijana Thapa a branch post master.

Thapa resides in the hamlet of Kalchini block of Alipuduar district and delivers letters across 11 villages.

WHO IS SRIJANA THAPA?

This young woman after graduating from the Kalimpong College decided to follow her late father's foot steps and took the job as a branch post master at the Buxa post office.

Earlier, there was a permanent runner at Buxsa Duar post office, Thsering Dukpa. But post his retirement in 2009, the post remained vacant for three years.

Thapa was appointed as post office runner in 2012.

SRIJANA THAPA'S DAILY ROUTINE

Thapa starts her journey at 9 am every morning and ends with the setting sun. She walks a minimum of 15 kms every day to deliver letters.

"We have eleven villages in total. And we have to travel by foot to give them letters. Villages are spread across the region so we have to travel a lot and it is very time consuming," she said.

It takes an hour for Srijana to reach her office from where she collects the mails and starts delivering them in the villages of Chunavati, Adma, Tashi Gaon and Othulung. And for the last four years Thapa has been handling the post office single handedly.

"Despite being a lady she delivers the letters to our doorsteps. This is the only post office nearby. She faces so many difficulties while travelling from one village to another but she is going a good job," a local Pado Dupka said.

SRIJANA THE HOPE OF BUXA

While most of the world devours air conditioning the people of Buxa don't even have electricity. The undulating narrow roads bind the locals, and they have no option but to walk.

While the world of telecom network is competing between 3G and 4G, residents of Buxa Duar are naive when it comes to smart phones and technology. It is this post office that connects the people to their loved ones and post master Srijana is their only hope.