2007-12-06
Sardaji-the diversified community
In 2004, when I was working as Scientist at Indian Institute of Technology, NewDelhi, my friend and couple of his friends came to Delhi for attending the Interview for Scientist B at Recruitment and Assesment Centre (RAC), Defence Research Develoment Organization (DRDO). They came by Kerala Express and I picked them from Hazred Nizamudeen Station to my appartment at IIT Campus. The next day morning I droped all at RACE centre which is 2 hours journey by bus from House Khas. After the interview they rented a taxi for local sight-seeing.
The driver was an old Sardar, and boys being boys, my friend and his buddys began cracking Sardarji jokes, just to instigate the old man. But to their surprise, the fellow remained unperturbed. At the end of the sight-seeing, they paid up the hire-charges. The Sardar returned the change. Moreover, he gave each one of them one rupee extra and said, (in Hindi, of course),''Son, since morning you have been telling Sardarji jokes. I listened to them all and let me tell you, some of them were in a very bad taste. Still, I don't mind coz I know that you are young blood and are yet to see the world. But I have just one request. Here I am giving you one rupee each. Give it to the first Sardar beggar that you come across in this city."My friend continued," That one rupee coin is still with me. I couldn't find a single Sardar begging on the streets of Delhi .
"Friends, we all love sardar jokes. But the fact of matter is that Sikhs are one of the most prosperous and diversified communities in the world. The secret behind their universal success, according to me, is their willingness to do any job with utmost dedication. A Sardar will drive a truck or set up a roadside garage or a dhaba, but he will never beg on the streets.
The driver was an old Sardar, and boys being boys, my friend and his buddys began cracking Sardarji jokes, just to instigate the old man. But to their surprise, the fellow remained unperturbed. At the end of the sight-seeing, they paid up the hire-charges. The Sardar returned the change. Moreover, he gave each one of them one rupee extra and said, (in Hindi, of course),''Son, since morning you have been telling Sardarji jokes. I listened to them all and let me tell you, some of them were in a very bad taste. Still, I don't mind coz I know that you are young blood and are yet to see the world. But I have just one request. Here I am giving you one rupee each. Give it to the first Sardar beggar that you come across in this city."My friend continued," That one rupee coin is still with me. I couldn't find a single Sardar begging on the streets of Delhi .
"Friends, we all love sardar jokes. But the fact of matter is that Sikhs are one of the most prosperous and diversified communities in the world. The secret behind their universal success, according to me, is their willingness to do any job with utmost dedication. A Sardar will drive a truck or set up a roadside garage or a dhaba, but he will never beg on the streets.
