January 17, 2011

Made in India!

The tags that come with products are great motivators. As children we were very excited about the tag made in USA. One of my friend cleared my mental cow webs. He said “Anil, USA does not mean United States of America. It simply means Ulaas Nagar Sindhi Association". Ulaas Nagar is a suburb near Mumbai and it is famed for making dirt cheap fake and spurious products. 

Made in USA or phoren (foreign) was so much in demand that I am reminded of a R.K.Laxman's joke. An ophthalmologist is examining a patient. He says “there is a foreign body in your eye. As it is a foreign body would you like to retain it?" 

Once all the industrialized countries in the world were debating as to which was the most industrially developed country in the world. They decided to hold a contest. As a part of that contest Japan made a fine platinum tube so fine that it took a microscope to see the fineness of design. Then the platinum tube was sent to Germany. Germans made a fine hole in the platinum tube. The Americans to whom the platinum tube was next sent to, made a nice jacket for the platinum tube. This jacket snuggly fitted the platinum tube. 

Finally the platinum tube was sent to India. The Indians were racking their brains to find out what could be done further. The Industries secretary came out with a bright idea “Let us simply carve the tag - Made in India on the platinum tube and send it". That is native Indian intelligence for you. India is a country where a pink liquid would be passed off as coca-cola and that to in a coca cola bottle. And surprisingly the perpetuators of this type of crime get away with it!

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