Funny Lines

Thursday, August 26, 2021

Petty Minds Crave Petty Thrills That Ruin Countries!

Petty Minds Crave Petty Thrills That Ruin Countries!

World over...petty minds get thrills spreading nasty, malicious and heartless extremisms. Their people-dividing policies can derail progress and modernization of even highly talented, resourceful countries. For countries the frenzies that petty minds revel in are time-wasting, self-destructive...and can ruin any country even in this 21st century of vast scientific progress. Not that petty minds care! They don't care if they leave behind a peaceless, unprogressive third world drifter. Or?...Vice Versa!?

Vice Versa! Wise policies will unite all the people of the country, to make good use of their talents and build a great nation! In a truly humane and united world!

Books by Drs Ms Jagjit &John Daniel: Doctor At Home: EastWest Books: Family Health Fitness Tips. Dreams of One Country (An Amazon Kindle e-novel or print copies): A far-visioned woman campaigns and unites youth to power India's talent-led ascent to join the world's leading developed nations!

Click here to preview Dreams of One Country: https://www.amazon.com/Dreams-One-Country-World-class-Modernization/dp/152098944X/ref=mp_s_a_1_fkmrnull_3?keywords=dreams+of+one+country+jagjit&qid=1554134768&s=gateway&sr=8-3-fkmrnull ***

Wednesday, June 16, 2021

Memories 1950s: Starting A New 'Swatantralata' Party - 2!

Memories 1950s: Starting A New 'Swatantralata' Party -2!

The big day arrived. We put up a pandal in front of the speaker's podium at Daresi Maidan. A crowd gathered and people sat cross-legged on the spread out matting. More stood around the pandal. Rajaji and team, including N. G. Ranga, arrived from Delhi in two cars and they stopped near the podium. I welcomed them and introduced the leaders to the crowd. Then Rajaji began speaking.. Then, suddenly, the pandal collapsed. The audience scattered. Some men started hurling stones towards the podium. The attackers were surely from the parties opposed to letting Swatantra get a foothold in Ludhiana The only thing we could was get Rajaji and his companions safely back into their cars and wave them off before they got hurt. Thus ended the story of us inaugurating Swatantralata in Ludhiana. A failure! But surely, for us, a lark when it happened! ***

Books by Drs Ms Jagjit, John Daniel: Doctor At Home: EastWest Books: Family Health Fitness Tips. Dreams of One Country (Amazon Kindle Novel: e- and home-delivered print copies): A far-visioned woman's campaign unites youth to power India's talent-led ascent...to the shining developed nations!

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Monday, May 31, 2021

Memories 1950s: Starting A New 'Swatantralata' Party - 1!

Memories 1950s: Starting A New 'Swatantralata' Party - 1!

In the late 1950s I was a student of C.M.C. in Ludhiana, Punjab. As a reluctant future doctor I had time in plenty for things other than studies. Our C.M.C. dental surgeon was a West Indian of Indian origin. I went to him a couple of times for dental work. Dr Gayadeen did an excellent job on some tiny cavities in my teeth. And at each visit he waxed eloquent on Swatantra, a new political party...though he called it Swatantralata' Party. The founder of this liberal, secular political party was Mr C. Rajagopalachari or 'Rajaji', the man to whom Lord Mountbatten, the British Governor-General of India, had handed over power when India became free. Rajaji had started this liberal-secular party, discarding the socialism of the Congress led by Pandit Nehru...and, of course, with the spiritual guidance of Gandhiji. When I went home to Bombay for summer holidays, I saw in town at Kala Ghoda, so-called after a black horse statue there - a sign-board of the new Swatantra ..At the Kala Ghoda office I met Mr Minoo Masani and told him I wished to start the party in Ludhiana, Punjab. He said the party's Punjab head was Raja Bhalinder Singh of the Patiala royal family. (The Raja later headed India's Olympic Committee.) My CMC friend called Iqbal and a local tea-stall owner joined the project. We contacted the Raja. He came to Ludhiana and we met him in a restaurant to plan the new party inauguration on the Daresi Maidan grounds. And we plastered posters around town inviting the public to attend this gala occasion.. *

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Monday, May 17, 2021

Easiest Bloopers We Commi!!

Easiest Bloopers We Commit!!

There's nothing many of us find easier to do than...Jump to conclusions! And then, of course, to act on such hastily jumped-at conclusions to complicate our own lives....and even the lives of others!

Sunday, April 18, 2021

Memories: Bombay 1960s: Switching Careers?!!

Memories: Bombay 1960s: Switching Careers?!!

In the early1960s, when I went back home to Bombay from C.M.C., Ludhiana, for summer holidays I saw a Times of India ad for trainee journalists. After India's Independence the British owners of Times, Bennett Coleman, was bought over by India's Sahu Jain group. I sent in copies of stories, humor etc. I had published in newspapers and magazines, including the Times. As a reluctant medical student, that was the kind of work I was busy with while missing classes. They called me for an interview.

My interviewer, Samir Jain, said right away that I was selected. I told him I was actually in the third year of medical college and I had come in the hope I could get a regular column in the Times. He said he could not decide on that, but I could surely join as a trainee. There ended my twin career hopes!

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Monday, April 12, 2021

Memories: Bombay 1950s: Ex-Sighting Oxford University!

Memories: Bombay 1950s: Ex-Sighting Oxford University!

After finishing school from Antonio Da Silva, Dadar, Bombay, in 1953, I joined the science course at Wilson College near Chowpatty Beach. I had no interest in science studies. I joined only on my father's insistence. A common belief those days was that for any ordinary family to come up the children had to seek careers in medicine, engineering or law. My English professor at Wilson was John Lyle. He graded my first essay as excellent. He read the second and said, 'John, why are you here? You should major in English. You can then get a scholarship to Oxford. I'll introduce you to the British Council's head here, Mr Voden. He'll help you.' I met Mr Voden. And I told him why my father would not allow me to major in English. Then I gave him my handwritten novel and asked if he could help me to publish it He read a page.or two. It was a Wodehouse-imitation novel - with English characters who arrive by steamship in Bombay. I had seen a steamer only from the docks. Nor had I any direct knowledge of what I described in the story. Mr Voden smiled: 'Sorry. You must write of what you really know...Or...a fairy tale!'

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Tuesday, April 6, 2021

Memories 1940s: Meeting Bollywood's Star Singer!

Memories 1940s: Meeting Bollywood's Star Singer!

We lived on the 3rd floor of a 5-storey building on Dadar Main Road, Bombay. With three film studios Ranjit, Ranjit Movietone and Shree Sound close by - that was Bollywood then. Living with his family on a lower floor of the building was Mrinal, a youth who tailored clothes for people in the Hindi film industry. I think I was around nine when Mrinal invited me to watch the recording of a Hindi film song. I went with him to a recording studio in Dadar West, a few miles from home. I heard the great Rafi sing to the musical accompaniment conducted by the film's music director. After the recording was over Rafi stepped out of the recording room. Mrinal handed him a package of new garments and introduced me to him. The singing star shook my hand. And, of course, I was thrilled!
Rafi had great natural talent and an amazing range. A song in the film Baiju Bawra, I recall, virtually lifted the roof off the cinema hall.

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