For many years I opened the morning paper and stared fascinated at pictures of film stars spending time with cancer patients, destitute children and others less fortunate than themselves, giving gifts or handing out large cheques with figures written in giant letters. Something bothered me though, “How were photographers and…
Protest to Protect People..!
As I write this piece, my wife is off to join a protest, “For Manipur?” I ask looking up. “No!” she says, “But against atrocities committed against all Indian women!” I nod, and know who will be there; women from all communities, Hindus, Muslims, Christians, and all those shocked and…
When We Show Mercy..!
My thoughts go to an incident that took place some time ago in the society I live in: A gardener was employed by my colony to trim the trees, as a branch had fallen on a car during the heavy rains. As he was doing so the police arrived. “You…
Shooting the Messenger..!
A few years ago, a news item appearing in Indian newspapers mentioned that people had found out that blankets offered by the Indian Railways to its passengers for their overnight journeys were washed only once in two months! Which meant, realized horrified passengers that they had slept in the sweat…
Fooled by Tiger Statistics..!
Front page headlines of a leading national English daily yesterday carried news that the tiger population had increased by five hundred tigers! Not in the fourth or fifth page, but headlines on the front page at the same time as the more important news of twenty one of our country’s…
Trying to Live Longer..!
A well-meaning reader of my column sent me a video, which speaks very emphatically about books which should have been in the Bible, that contained methods to live longer. These books according to the video were left out by Emperor Constantine in the fourth century. The video goes on to…
Get Rich Scams and Us..!
As I read about people who are fooled by online and other scams, I realize that many people try to circumvent hard work by easy and quick get rich ways. But except for the miniscule few, all of us will only meet success through sheer hard work. Hard works pays…
Bowling a Maiden Over..!
If you think our maidens are not into cricket you should hear what happened to my fictitious bachelor friend Prem when he returned home after a night out with the boys: His mother who’s been longing to see a bahu in her home looked at him strangely: “When will you…
Speechless and Silent..!
My voice is playing truant again, and I remember an incident a few years ago, just before a choral concert, when my voice took a walk! “Come back!” I shouted silently, but only a hoarse guttural sound came out of my tired throat. “Laryngitis,” said my doctor wife with a…
Political Godmen Teachers..!
“Bob!” said the voice at the other end, “You would fit well as the principal of our godmen school!” It was a few hours after reaching the Godman School, I was summoned hastily for a meeting, “What’s the hurry?” I asked the committee member who had come to my lavish…
Robert Clements is a newspaper columnist and writes a daily column, which has graced the pages of over 60 newspapers and magazines, from a daily column in the Khaleej Times, Dubai, the Morning Star, London, and in nearly every state in India, from The Statesman in Kolkata, to the Kashmir Times in Kashmir to the Trinity Mirror in Chennai.