Fruity Bash

Members felicitate KARUN SHARMA (in striped t-shirt) on his birthday

Karun Sharma receives birthday calendar from son Madhur

Big Laaf today broke convention, thanks to Karun Sharma. Instead of a calorie overload of stale sweets, salties and fries, he celebrated his birthday with a wholesome assortment of freshly-cut fruits. The closest anyone had got to this was Ram Shankar Shukla when he rejoiced at finding his lost umbrella by treating us all to a banana each. That was almost 10 years ago.
Karun also kept it simple: a glass of watermelon juice to go with a salad mix of sliced pineapple, grapes, muskmelon

Happy Birthday, Karun

chunks, cut apple and more. Mercifully no cake, no laddoo, no bhajiya… no toxic rubbish.
In another notable departure from convention, Karun was presented with his birthday calendar NOT by a member of the Club, but by his son, Madhur. In fact, it was this young man's idea to organise a ‘fruity bash’ for his dad, who has otherwise been hard-pressed for time, having returned from Delhi last night.
“I had scoured all the fruit vendors in Lokhandwala within a radius of two kilometres,” narrated Madhur.

Scramble over a fruit dish

“Nobody could give me good quality fresh fruits like the one who supplied me this lot. This is the best that can be sourced in this part of town.”
However, in typical Big Laaf style, a dispute broke out over whether the red drink in the glass was actually watermelon juice or a carrot extract. Kajal Babani found no problem in accepting it was watermelon, but Arun Patil swore by carrot juice and to Kiran Prakash, it made no difference either way. Some even insisted the juice was “adulterated” (when they meant "diluted").
As it turned out, this was all a ruse for demanding an additional glass "to taste" without making it obvious. And Karun did not disappoint. He had enough extra glasses (as well as salad packages) to go by, such that many were offered double-double servings to take home and stock their fridges with.
The biggest takeaway though was that it is very much possible to partake in a perfectly healthy and nutritious birthday bash and still have a blast. Madhur Sharma showed us how.

Banoo Apa (l) waxes lyrical

A bite from birthday boy

Madhur is tickled pink

Siba Prasad Maitra:
Happy Birthday, Karun-bhai. Excellent treat with a difference. It was really a fruitful day. God bless.

Lt Col Angad Singh (retd):
Happy Birthday Karun-bhai. It is a good and healthy change in birthday celebrations. Hope this change is liked by other members also and in future, we get fruits and fruitful drinks. Fruits are certainly healthy and a nourishing diet. I wish Karun Sharma a healthy, enjoyable and happy long life.