Mr HR Mohan, President, Computer Society of India (CSI)
has told a number of us that a Chair in the name of Prof. H.N. Mahabala is
being instituted at IIT Madras, in the field of Computer Science and Technology. This is an honour that is very well deserved,
and all of Prof Mahabala's colleagues including CSI colleagues
should rejoice on hearing this news. Congratulations, Prof!
But there is no harm in sharing a “joke” at Prof's
expense at this moment, particularly when it is based on a true occurrence.
Sometime, about 20 years ago, he and I were on a morning flight from Mumbai to
Delhi. We saw each other in the queue, and so got together to find two
seats side by side. The take-off and the breakfast went on well; then came the
coffee. Prof HNM took a look at the cup and pressed the "call
staff" button. He showed the cup to the lady who turned up and asked
"What is this?" Clearly marking the rim of the cup was a lipstick
mark!
The lady did a brilliant job of complaint handling,
and asked him with a smile "What are you complaining about, Sir?"
Many of us in that row and the next one burst out laughing!
Srinivasan Ramani
