Gang of 23

Naheed Siddiqui (from left), Saeeda Sayed, Yusuf R and Bihari Milwani 

If birthdays are meant to be celebrated on a certain date, why have it only once a year? Why not celebrate it every month, on that particular date? After all; what stops anyone from celebrating 12 birthdays in a year?
Such bizarre out-of-the-box thinking can come up only in a Club like ours.

Karun Sharma

And the author of this conundrum today was oddly enough, Karun Sharma, a February 23-born.
But the trigger behind this thought had to be none other than our good old ‘computer-ji’, Bihari Milwani, a December 23-born. He arrived for the exercises in the China Hut just about the time Karun was leaving. “One 23 comes and another 23 leaves,” he remarked.
It took us a while to figure out what Milwani was implying. As is his wont, he was identifying Karun

Bhaswati Bose does not know whom to blame for losing her purse

not by name, but by his birthdate. “His birthday is February 23 and my birthday is December 23,” Milwani clarified.
Before this strange coincidence could even sink in, Milwani rattled out the names of three other members in the Club born on the 23rd (but in different months): Yusuf Rassiwala (July 23), Sayeeda Sayed (April 23) and Naheed Siddiqui (May 23). He had it all on his fingertips!
That was when Karun popped the idea: “We ought to celebrate on the 23rd of every month. Why wait a full year for a birthday to turn up? The monthly celebrations should apply to everyone. This way we shall have more birthday parties and treats round the year.”
What Karun is obviously looking at is to celebrate life more often – preferably every day.

Lt Col Angad Singh (rtd):
Computer brain is working faster than expected. Also, having a party every day is a marvelous suggestion. It will ensure presence of maximum members. In the bargain we can say bye-bye to tai chi and other exercises. People will still enjoy laughing if we stick to it.

Bihari Milwani:
The name of a very important personality is missing from the Gang of 23. Possibly he has forgotten that on September 5, 2019 i.e. hardly 12 days back, he was certified as 23 kilo (days). He was our Blog Monster.