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A Telephone for You
Read more here: A Telephone for YouYesterday the General Manager of the Delhi Telephones, Mr. P.C. Jauhri, offered a gift to the citizens of the capital (Statesman, 20th May). “A telephone for the asking”, he announced grandly to the wonder and amazement of the long suffering Delhiwallas, many of whom have gone gray waiting for his gift from the Gods in…
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Europe on 2 bottles of “achaar”
Read more here: Europe on 2 bottles of “achaar”The Tribune | February 25, 1986 In lighter vein by M.S. Gill If you are up at Cambridge you want to go somewhere for the vacation. The place is closed for six months in the year to allow people to study. Terms are meant for more serious pastimes! A friend says we have holidays between…
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Shuffle, reshuffle and a shake-up
Read more here: Shuffle, reshuffle and a shake-upThe Sunday Tribune, Chandigarh | November 23, 1980 Falling administrative standards continue to cause concern among the public. Efforts have been made from time to time, particularly with the help of foreign experts, to improve matters. An American, Paul Appleby, came to India in the fifties, and submitted a report. Sir Malcolm Darling, a famous…
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The Real Punjab Mail
Read more here: The Real Punjab MailThe Tribune | July 18, 1980 The Orient Express was made famous by Agatha Christie. In the days of the raj the most romantic train on the subcontinent was the Frontier Mail which ran from Bombay to Punjab and the Khyber Pass. Men like John Masters have described the fascinating journey by this train, full…
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Captains of the sea
Read more here: Captains of the seaThe Tribune | April 10, 1980 Punjab is a dusty plain a thousand miles from the sea. The only water it knows of are the five sluggish meandering rivers that sustain its people. Even these are valued only for their irrigation potential. The Punjabi does not sport with them as do the Europeans with their…
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Scientist Emeritus
Read more here: Scientist EmeritusThe Tribune | December 28, 1979 I knew Mr Lal Singh Kang many years ago as my Sub Divisional Magistrate in Jullundur. A tall, grave-faced and mild-mannered man, he attended diligently to his duties as a revenue officer. He was always a picture of dignity. I was, therefore, surprised to see in a recent issue…
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A Swiss aid project
Read more here: A Swiss aid projectThe Tribune | March 29, 1979 I had taken an Air India flight from Heathrow for Delhi. The Jumbo jet was packed with Punjabis looking forward to a home holiday and an assortment of Westerners eager to savour the excitement of the East. The Jumbo is like a vast class III carriage of an Indian…
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Oh, for the “kikar” tree!
Read more here: Oh, for the “kikar” tree!Published on March 9, 1979 My grandfather loved “datuns”. Along with sugarcane chewing, they were the best recipe for strong sparkling teeth. There was a pleasant ritual attached to their chewing. Grandfather would get up at dawn; clear his throat a bit, and then saunter off into the green fields. Somewhere along the way he…
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For peace and quiet
Read more here: For peace and quietThe Tribune | February 26, 1978 A Delhi newspaper earlier this month carried two innocent looking news items behind which lies a much bigger story. According to the Special Representative of this newspaper, “the Shah of Iran said today that he hoped Indian visitors to Iran would feel as at home there as he and…
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Rain Makers
Read more here: Rain MakersShankar’s Weekly | September 2, 1973 The dramatic break-through, achieved recently by our rainologists (rain makers) has created a number of problems for our government. It just goes to show that scientific progress is not an unmixed blessing. Let me explain first the achievement. It is best done in the words of the famous rainologist,…
