April 03, 2006

Missing the WIPs

Full page ad in The Indian Express, March 30, tells me that:
    WEDDING RECEPTION OF SHAH GROUP DIRECTOR NIRAV SHAH, SON OF CMD NALIN SHAH HELD WITH POMP AND GRANDEUR
Now there's reason for happiness, even though I've never heard of these people. So, feeling happy, I read the ad. Here are some excerpts:
    Hundreds of VIPs attended this from India and abroad, adding glory to the occasion. Many WIPs & VIPs could not come because of security measures in the tight of Mumbai bomb blast's anniversary... Howe, those who could not come ... did oblige us by sending greetings.
Well, what a pity the WIPs could not come. Should have cracked the whip. Howe, that's OK. The rest of us had a wery wery good time getting tight.
    There are other people besides, who co-operated in making the occasion a great success/we are obliged for their positive response, suggestions and co-operation. Whose names as follows.
    [Long list of names appended, a few below]

    H.E. Shri APJ Abdul Kalam, President of India.
    H.E. Shri Bhairon Sinh Shekhawat, Vice President of India.
    H.E. Shri S.M Krishna, Governor of Maharashtra.
    H.E. Smt. Pratibha Patil, Governor of Rajasthan.
    ...
    Hon'ble Shri Sharad Chandraji Pawar.
    Hon'ble Shri Sushil Kumarji Shinde.
    Hon'ble Shri Prafulji Patel.
    Hon'ble Shri Chhagan Raoji Bhujbal.
    Hon'ble Shri Narendra Modi, CM, Gujarat.
    Hon'ble Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, former P.M, India
    Hon'ble Shri Lal Krishna Advani, Leader Opposition.
    ...
    Lion T J Gala, National President, Lions India.
    ...
    H H Shri Gagangiriji Maharaj.
    H H Swami Rantadeep Bharati.
    H H Shri Chaitanya Swamy.
    H H Buddhist Monk from Arunachal.
    ...
    General J J Singh, Army Chief, New Delhi.
    Shri Bharat Shah, Film Financier
    Smt Smriti Irani, Tulsi of Saas Bahu.
    ...
    [Many more Shris, Smts, and Hon'bles]
    Some names might have been left out inadvertently and we beg pardon for the same.
Question: Why are some, but not all, politicians "Hon'ble"? Why are some, but not all, "H.E"? Why do some, but not all "Hon'ble"s have "ji" appended to their middle names?

More important question: Who was the Buddhist Monk from Arunachal, and why wasn't he listed as "Hon'ble Shri H H Buddhist Monk fromji Arunachal"?

8 comments:

Wild Reeds said...

Awesome. Weren't there any
"Dr. (Mrs.) So-and-so" attending? Great post, excellent blog.

neha vish said...

No Puratchi Thalaivis? :)) rotfl!

Vikrum said...

If they are interest, I can contact "H H Catholic Priest from New York" or "H H Jewish Rabbi from Brooklyn." Let me know.

Anonymous said...

Shame on you Dilip for being unaware of basic etiquette. Presidents, Governors and the like are of course Their Excellencies.
Only some politicians are Honourable - those that are members of legislative assemblies (either state or central) and the religious leaders are Holinesses for obvious reasons. I surprised that you pretend ignorance of our excellent retention of archaic British customs. On the other hand, if a Cypriot Archbishop had been attending, he would, of course, not be His Ecstacy, but rather, His Beatitude. I kid you not. You can look it up somewhere in Yes Minister.

Ravi

Anonymous said...

I protest - there is no single shri shri in the list - clearly the shahs lack a spiritual side to them

Raj said...

Amazing !Your ability to sniff out such curious items from the newspapers !

Anonymous said...

don't u have any work??

Anonymous said...

Haha!

Excellent commentary