Extract from Shri L.K.Advani's blog

-

A recent book on India by Patrick French is titled “India: An intimate biography of 1.2 billion people”.  The reviews earned by the book are mixed. But I found an episode narrated by the author in his preface very interesting. It runs as follows:

An Indian man walks into a bank in New York City and asks for the loan officer. He tells the loan officer that he is going to India on business for two weeks and needs to borrow $ 5,000. The bank officer tells him that the bank will need some form of security for the loan, so the Indian man hands over the keys of a new Ferrari parked on the street in front of the bank. He produces the title and everything checks out. The loan officer agrees to accept the car as collateral for the loan.

The bank’s President and its officer all enjoy a good laugh at the Indian for using a $250,000 Ferrari as collateral against a $5000 loan.
An employee of the bank then drives the Ferrari into the bank’s underground garage and parks it there. Two weeks later, the Indian returns, repays the $5000 and the interest, which comes to $15.41.

The Loan officer says, ‘Sir, we are happy to have had your business, and this transaction has worked out very nicely, but we are a little puzzled. While you were away we checked you out and found that you are a multi millionaire. What puzzles us is, why would you bother to borrow $ 5000’.

The Indian replies: ‘Where else in New York City can I park my car for two weeks for only $15.41 and expect it to be there when I return?’
Ah, the mind of the Indian!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What ails Indian Tennis?

-
With the Olympics round the corner our Tennis stars are fighting one another. Mahesh and Bopanna refuse to play with Paes as parters in the doubles. Paes does not want a younger player as his doubles partner. Mahesh's father and Paes' father take up cudgels on behalf of their respective sons. First the sports minister wanted to intervene in this on going battle. Ultimately backed out. Latest to join the bandwagon is Sania Mirza who accuses the All India Tennis Association of using her as a bait. She accuses Paes' father who she says wanted a written undertaking that she would partner his son in the mixed doubles. With this bloated egos it would not be surprising if these so called Tennis stars crash out in the first game itself. Why does the AITA trying to pacify these players. Why not groom young blood. At least we can lose with a brave face. All these fading stars are surely going to fade away after the olympics.
Read more

Balaji Darshan

-
On 26th of May 2012 we family members numbering 12 went to Tirumala. The journey from Chennai to Tirupathi was good and we reached there within 4 hours by a private Tempo Traveller. From Tirupathi to Tirumala we went by Govt. bus. The entire journey was splendid. We thought we would finish Darshan of Balaji within 3 to 4 hours and return to Chennai by evening of 26th. But the Lord had other ideas. We stood in the queue for Rs.300 at 11.10 a.m. Slowly we meandered our way. We went from one shelter to another. No one knew where the queue ended. The shelters had been built in such a way that it takes you around the temple. While standing in the queue we helped ourselves with fruits, biscuits etc. Nobody had lunch except the morning breakfast. As time passed our hunger increased. We went on and on and on. Hours passed. one ,two, three, four ,five, six and so on. Our energy sapped. Hunger increased hunger turned to anger. Words were exchanged as my brother in law who is a diabetic and wh
Read more

Direct Money Transfer to Ration Cardholders in TN

-
  Mr.Stalin, on taking over as CM of Tamil Nadu on 7.5.2021, had started on a high note. He had appointed good IAS officers to administer his Government. However, the same cannot be said of the choice of some of his ministers. He had announced free travel for women in ordinary buses. Reduced the price of Aavin milk and also increased the procurement price of milk. As promised, he announced the distribution of   Rs.4000 in two installments to ration card holders in keeping with his election promise. He had also announced lockdown for two weeks with restrictions and complete lockdown on Sundays. Today being a Sunday, 16.5.2021, there is a complete lockdown. But his Government has announced that people can get the amount of Rs.2000 from the ration shops on going there. Even though there is a lockdown, people are forced to go to ration shops to get their money standing in queues. This defeats the purpose of lockdown.   Instead, the State Government should have transferred the money dir
Read more