As we celebrate during the much awaited festival of the year, there are a few for whom Diwali just means another working day

Diwali has started and the frenzy of cleaning, cooking, decorating, buying gifts, firecrackers is almost over. Celebration is all that's on the cards. While most of us prepare to kick back and relax with friends and families during the holidays, there are a few others, for whom these festive days are nothing but another week at work. It takes people from a cross section of occupations to ensure that while we revel in the festivities, society continues to function smoothly.

Divyanshu Boora is a 24-year-old software engineer working for a multinational company. "We monitor servers based across the globe. All software and services have problems. If everyone took leave the entire network could collapse, and not just in India," says Boora who will thus be working throughout Diwali "I am not too upset about working on Diwali; my family stays in Haryana so for me, the weekend will be more like Diwali," he grins.

Another section of the society that runs non-stop is the travel and tourism industry. Priyanka Sahani works for a private airline company. This will be her first working Diwali. "You cannot have flights on standstill for the whole day," she exclaims. The cabin crews, ground staff, cleaners, attendants, all have to work round the clock to keep the ball rolling. I do not have any big plans, but maybe I can take off early and spend at least the latter part of the evening with my family," she hopes fervently.

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