Jolly Good Fellow

Happy Birthday, Kiran Prakash

The youngest looking male in the Club turned a year older today. Kiran Prakash celebrated the occasion with a generous treat of food packets from Vyanjan, while the rest of us danced and rejoiced, invoking the powers above to bless him with long life, good health and everlasting happiness.

B'day boy with bag of goodies

And as usual, there was Mallika Kagzi’s famous home-brewed tea also to lift our spirits.
For a change, the birthday calendar was not presented by the senior-most member present this time, but the youngest, Gita Latte. In a heart-warming gesture, she touched Kiran Prakash’s feet as a mark of respect after presenting the Club’s ‘return gift’ to a round of applause from all present.
However, what took our breath away was when Prakash suddenly dropped to the ground and prostrated full-length, performing the classical sashtanga namaskara amid a crowd of undeserving legs surrounding him.

Gita Latte seeks Prakash's blessings

The provocation behind this act shall never be known to us. Pity, it could not be captured on camera as everything happened so fast and unexpectedly that many (including the photographer) jumped out of their skin.
With such unpredictable behavior and appearance belying his age, Prakash has come to be the toast of Big Laaf in a short time.

Checking the birthday calendar

He joined the Club one-and-half years back and already the seniors (many of whom have been around for 15 long years) take him to confidence in crucial matters, just as the juniors like to take liberties and treat him as a jolly good fellow. Just the other day (ref post of February 28), he sprung a surprise on Mallika when he went down on his knee and almost started serenading her to a film song in the middle of the exercises.
But then, to be fair, Kiran Prakash is not the only one to be the life force of Big Laaf today. A number of relative newcomers – right from Mallika to Gita Latte to Siba Prasad Maitra, Bijoy Gupta and even Mohar Singh – are regarded as co-conspirators in all the fun and games while brightening our mornings and making life so much merrier and cheerful. As they say, the old must make way for the new.
Kiran Prakash:
I thank one and all present for their blessings and good wishes on my birthday. I am touched. Where else on earth can we get so much love and affection from people I had not even known 18 months back. I am indeed blessed. There was no motive for dropping on the ground. It was just a spontaneous expression of a feeling of gratitude. Long live BIG LAAF!
Lt Co Angad Singh (from Mohali):
Kiran Prakash has a large vocabulary for doing the unexpected, whether impromptu or planned. He is full of ideas. One thing I wish to share with you all is that BIG LAAF is a big, cashless, silent and unknown tonic for good health. Those who are regular in joining the sessions relish the spirit and benefits of the tonic. Wishing Kiran Prakash a very happy and healthy life.
Bhaswati Bose:
Thank you, Kiran Prakash-ji for the wonderful treat and entertainment. We wish you the very best in life and many happy returns of the day.
Kiran Prakash adds:
Thank you very much, Col Angad Singh-ji and Bhaswati-ji. Your greetings and good wishes mean a lot to me.
Dilip Babani:
Happy Birthday, Kiran Prakash-ji. May God bless you!