Operation unsuccessful

Dr. Kurien was a very witty person. His wits often had no end. He was so good at cracking jokes on himself.

It is an incident of the period I was posted as Counsellor, Embassy of India, Brussels (Belgium). I used to look after travel and stay arrangements during his visits to Europe those days..

He was visiting UK to meet the President of an organisation who had shown some interest in funding the NDDB’s Foot and Mouth Vaccine Project. Dr. Amrita Patel was accompanying him.

We were fifteen minutes early for the meeting. and were waiting at the reception for some time. Dr. Amrita Patel in the mean time decided to have a word with Secretary to the President before the meeting and went ahead of us.

After a few minutes Dr. Kurien said let us also walk towards the Presidents office. While in the corridor Dr. Kurien noticed a Rest Room (Tiolet) and said, “Chawla I sneed to go around the corner”.

He went in and came out after a couple of minutes.

He said that “The toilet was so spotlessly clean that my operation was unsuccessful.”

It took a wink for me to get the joke and we both laughed and walked towards the meeting room.

Even now when i remember this incident I can hardly hide my smile.


Contributed by Shri NK Chawla former Executive Director NDDB


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