Dragon M aka Mrinal Mandal: From Mechanical Engineer to Poet, Author and Performer

Saurabh Tankha

The first impression of the name Dragon M is often that of a fictional drug lord from a film. But the reality is very different. Dragon M is the stage name of Mrinal Mandal, a mechanical engineer from Vrindavan whose father runs a general store.

Always inclined towards writing and art, Mrinal published his debut novel Hourglass in 2018 while still in college. Alongside writing, he is also a stage performer who presents poetry, stories and rap. Recently, he released a poetry album titled Aatmabodh, which features five poems. The music has been composed by Chandigarh-based producer Dox and New Delhi-based instrumentalist Gaurang Sahu.

Speaking about Aatmabodh, he says he does not follow a fixed writing process. The poems, he explains, come as an overflow of emotion and reflect his inner self. He says they help him understand himself better, which is why the album is titled Aatmabodh, meaning self-realisation. The project has been produced by The Astitva and released on their channel.

I know myself better through my poems. When I thought about naming this project, the idea of self-realisation struck me. I named it Aatmabodh

He credits Dox for composing most of the tracks and calls his work “wizardry.” Gaurang Sahu has also contributed music for the poem Sarhadien, which explores themes of communal hatred.

On choosing the name Dragon M, he explains that “M” stands for Mrinal. The word Dragon, however, is both symbolic and strategic. It comes from a story he performed in 2018 about a child who wants to become a dragon. He says dragons represent limitless power, imagination and freedom. For him, becoming a dragon means believing in limitless possibility, and he extends that identity to his listeners as well.

He adds that the name also has a long-term creative purpose, as he plans to use “Dragon” as a character name in a future novel.

Mrinal says his inspiration for writing and performance did not come from a single source. However, he acknowledges the presence of an elder sibling who is a stand-up comedian, which exposed him early to performance as a craft. He also recalls winning a writing competition in his first year of college, which strengthened his creative direction.

His family has been aware of his artistic journey since college. He published his first novel while still completing his engineering degree and even toured cities like Lucknow, Varanasi, Jaipur and Pune for literary events and open mics.

I want to break free from the systems we, as a society, have built. Shouldn’t education be qualitative than quantitative?

When asked about himself, he says he has grown up with failure as a constant companion, but also as a dreamer who is never afraid of taking risks despite knowing the possibility of falling.

He believes in questioning societal systems, especially around education and creative professions. He feels education should focus on quality rather than quantity, and artists should be valued for skill rather than popularity metrics.

On inspiration, he mentions several influences including J.K. Rowling for world-building and storytelling, and Chester Bennington of Linkin Park for emotional depth in music and lyrics.

At present, Mrinal works as an SEO executive at Paytm, which supports his financial needs while he continues his creative work. However, he says he does not plan to stay in the corporate world forever. He hopes to eventually earn through his art, leave his job, and travel to the mountains.

The moment I start earning through my art, the first thing I will do is to quit corporate life and run away to the mountains