Just before I begin, one of the organizers whispers to me, asking me to cut short my carefully prepared lecture from 45 minutes to 20-30 minutes, since time is running out. I am hopping mad as it is, and refuse to comply. This of course, prolongs the session even more. Sometimes the organizers try to frantically make signs asking me to stop - these I dutifully ignore. The next two lectures are postponed to the post-lunch session.
Delegates pile their plates high with oil-drenched food, in anticipation of an impending famine.
Purees, 2-3 vegetables, rice, dal, sweets, curds and papad are all balanced precariously on a small plate. Comments about the quality of the food fly fast and hard and the success or failure of the conference is decided based on how good or bad the food is. An announcement for the commencement of the post-lunch session is made. Delegates start straggling in. Within fifteen minutes, most of the delegates are sleeping, some actually snoring.