Stare Case

A Place Where Creativity Is Worshipped

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

This shot of a striking decoration to mark the Puja season of Hindu festivities was taken exactly a year ago, on a brief visit to India. The gold-fringed ornament was one of many on the staircase leading to the first-floor offices of Kolkata-based Trisys Communications. I framed this meticulously, because I wanted as much of the reflection as I could get in the shot.

Trisys, specialising in annual reports and corporate presentations, was started by a former colleague of mine, Mudar Patherya. The prince of lateral thinkers, he was only a student when he wrote a letter simply addressed to ``Sir Donald Bradman, Australia'' - and received a reply from The Don, along with a signed photograph.

That attitude shines through the company offices. The staircase in this photograph features some rare Kolkata memorabilia and the walls of the work area carry another surprise. They are decorated with huge cartoon murals by Debashish Deb, another former colleague of mine who is an effervescent artist and designer. As a creative corporate environment, I've never seen anything like it.