Indian Media affects in Nigeria
I was on deputation to Lipton Nigeria for more than 2 years in early eighties. I discovered India there, unlike here there was no newspaper, post, milk, vegetables, water etc. delivered at home. Luckily my Co. managed all for us and ladies shopping did the rest. When grapevine said bread is seen in some Mall, all rushed to buy cartloads. But there was one disgusting thing, our negative media.
When I was coming back, my German Boss and his wife visited us with lots of chocolates for me kids. They again visited after a few days. When they came a third time, with chocolates, but Boss was hesitating a little. I was a little worried. I shook off my hesitation and asked him, " Mr Mangold, are you trying to tell me something?". He, a tall man, put a hand on my shoulder and took me in  the corner. Looking at my wife , he said, "she is such a nice girl, don't take her and burn her."
Light dawned on me.
There was only one news on India, black lines, front page news- New Delhi- Another Bride Burnt.
Nigerian media used to pick it up happily. Those days there were many such cases in that area. When I used to visit UK, there was only one news on India, small boy and a dog eating from roadside!  The media must have worked hard to create that image.
My Boss also thought that it was something like foot ball match ! He was much relieved when I explained it all.

The Emergency Man

All my life I was the emergency man, family problems, labour, Steel Plant, factory, anything.

My emergency career started from D Group in Ajanta House, Colvin. When I used to come out of the library for going home, I would be called to fill in, football, hockey, the vacancy in A,B,C groups as needed. Then my demand went up and I was preferred. In football I was playing at back, and my kick was strong. Some seniors always told me to go otherwise they will not get a chance. But I was always spotted and called.

One day some senior asked me to get marks for Ajanta House. I asked what is that, I did not know as I was a day scholar, and had many friends to play with in Lucknow University, he told me that you have to participate in all sports , if you come first , second, third, you house will get points. I participated and won all the athletics. Then the Ajanta House Captain asked me if I knew swimming. I did and then he asked me to go. The teachers there were so worried they walked along the swimming pool side with me all the time and I completed 10 lengths, getting maximum points. I am a Gangaji swimmer. That year I got the most improved athlete of the year award, the prize I got was 3 books, one of them Nona, showing sense of humour of the people concerned. I got transferred to C group, who were much bigger, thus ending my athletic career.

Another year there was an emergency when the Governor was to come for Annual day, with us it was mostly Kanhaiyalal Maniklal Munshi, I used to call him Kanhaiyalal Maniklal Munshilal Munshi. Two very smart boys were trained to receive the Governor, in NCC dress, slow march in front of him and do Flag Hoisting with him and then march out. In my class 2 kids were trained, one was my good  friend, Anand Pal, son of novelist and freedom fighter  Yashpal. On the day The Governor was to visit, the second chap did not come. Anand Pal came running to me and told me to wear the band on the shoulder and march with him. I did not know, but followed him and followed his actions and did the job successfully.

I joined NCC and we went to camp in Kanpur. My senior colleagues, the same evening, went out of the camp for something, were caught and were stripped of their rank. I was given the charge of NCC Colvin Group, although I had joined recently. I handled it all very well but was removed just before the final parade. Well that’s me!

Colvin Special- How I met Vijay Shahi in Eden Garden

I think it was 1964, I was completing Mech Engineering in Sindri, and I had gone to Calcutta to watch a Test Match. Last Test Match I had seen was in Lucknow ,1952-53, India Vs. Pakistan. Dattu Phatkar, GS Ramchand, Fazal Mahmood, Mahmood Hussain et all.

Pataudi was the Captain here in Eden Gardens, Calcutta.

It was impossible to get tickets. Using IT Department contacts and managed to get one. Later I learnt for a space of 30,000, they sold tickets for 70 thousand. I went early, was not easy to reach anywhere, underground train finally solved the problem 4 decades later, and all roads lead to Eden Garden. I found my gate and seat no, the width of the seat was 6 inches, I somehow managed to sit. When other people came there was no space. Fights ensued. I noted that if you get up, there will be sound like “POP” but you will not be able to find your seat no again. So I did not get up till evening.

Reached in time next day as usual. I went up but found there was hue and cry everywhere with people running helter skelter. The fielders came to the ground and batsmen followed, and just when bowling was to start, people ran into the field followed by more and the players started running out. Someone started digging the pitch. People started running in the entire stadium, people crying bhago bhago. In my area also violence started and with people running all directions, coming back and running again. I could not make up my mind was standing confused, when some nice anarchist came and told me to run away. In Lucknowi style I asked him to please also tell me the direction to run. He said first go there, you will find a staircase, when you come out run towards the big lawn and go towards burning cars, vehicles. I followed instructions, reached a huge maidan, very familiar to visitors and started walking towards the New Market. Many vehicles were on fire on the main road but out of curiosity, was walking and observing. I did not know then that violence was going to be the hall mark of my career and nothing ever worried me. I saw a stainless steel thing falling in front of me, it stared emitting smoke, I knew then it was a tear gas shell. I was curious and watched it with interest, but better sense prevailed and while looking back at it I started moving back ward till I bumped into some one.

 That someone was my old friend, Colvinian, Vijay Shahi. Sports, Seven Tiles, Gend Tadi were our common passion. He had become tall, was short and shy like me earlier. What a meeting it was, chaos all around and we were talking about the years that we missed. He was in BHU. After a long time we remembered where we were. He said he has to go and meet his friends and we parted. I later visited him in his hostel in BHU. We talked endlessly till a classmate of his came to ask if I am a hold-all. It is a code name for new people for ragging purposes. He told them that I am senior to all there and am in the final year. But we had to soon part. I had to report to my Nanihal!

Please help me contact him, or Kamal Shahi, his younger brother!

School days are when the iron is hot, anything engraved lasts forever. And do not forget, I am a steel plant man!