AROUND THIS TIME YESTERDAY IN HOUSTON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
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My wife Pushpa and I were waiting with our grand sons-Arin & Aaanav to board the UNITED AIR Flt to Nashville .
The weather was ominous and we're not sure (including the Flt crew) whether Flt takes off .Already the gate was changed to B 79A from some B88.From the point where we were dropped at the departure zone by our son ,one lady accosted us to the gate B88.I was a bit rash with this lady as she didn't allow my son to accompany all of us to the designated gate .But,surprisingly ,she herself came along till gate B88 and left .
Once the change of gate was announced ,we all went to the new gate -quite a distance to walk.As my left leg is defunct,I was looking for a seat at B79A-but invain.Ultimately I could find one a far ,yet in visible distance from Pushpa and children.Flt was delayed-naturally!
Here comes this lady once again to enquire whether we were able to shift to the changed gate securely .
Then my 45 years of teaching management questioned my naivete that I was utterly wrong in my estimate of this lady-and immediately I enquired "Beta,what's your name "
She muttered "Sidra",
I,"where are you from"
Sidra"I'm from Karachi -Pakistan"
My thoughts went topsy turvy:
The following passage echoed in me
"The first thing I want to say is two words that Muslim americans don't hear often enough -and that is "Thank you,Thank you for lifting up the lives of your neighbours....
----Aziz Haniffa"India abroad,Feb 12,2016".
How true!
Here is Ms Sidra-a Pakistani lady working for LLC at Houston Airport going an extra mile to help us-Indians"a septuagenarian with his wife and two little grand children".
While parting,I asked
"Sidra,which part of Pakistan you belong to ?
Sidra:I'm from karachi and I like Karachi Bakery of your Hyderabad,
I said"So are we Indians,rather Hyderabadis fond of Bombay Bakery of Karachi"!
Our discussion went on another few minutes in Hindustani.
And I dare asked her mail ID ...AND I'm writing to Soubhagyavathi Sidra this letter
This travelogue has an epilogue worth cherishing both by Indians & Pakistanis and as President Obama says by "Not Muslim or American -but Muslim Americans "..(& NRI's too)!
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Historically,it was the Mughal Empire that created Hindoostan,then the British East India Company took it over,and tragically both India and pakistan believe that they are each the legatee.The division between the two was South Asia's greatest tragedy and Britain's greatest failure;we're living with catastrophe now
---Field Marshal Sir Claude "The Auk" as told to Stephen Cohen of The Brookings Institution
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May I invite Ms Sidra with family to DHRUVA COLLEGE of MANAGEMENT-Hyderabad to accept our Mehman Nawazi !
Dr.S.Pratap Reddy
Founder Chairman
Houston,TX:USA(now in Nashville)
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