IN GIVING WE RECEIVE

In Giving We Receive ~ 249 ~ IN GIVING WE RECEIVE Mr. Surjit Singh Lamba (b. 1931) who works in the Law Ministry and lives in Kirti Nagar, New Delhi, has been gifted by nature with a photographic memory. This means that just by reading anything a few times, be it prose or poetry, he can remember all of its details. He demonstrated this skill when he visited our office in June, 1983, by reproducing whole articles of Al-Risala from memory. Being a great admirer of Iqbal, he has learnt hundreds and thousands of his verses by heart, thus becoming a specialist on his life and works. In 1983, Mr. Lamba went to Pakistan where he was hailed as an authority on Iqbal. One Mr. Amir Hussain of Lahore, who is also renowned as an expert on Iqbal, challenged Mr. Lamba to recite more verses by heart than he could himself. So convinced was Amir Hussain Lahori of his superiority, that he offered to hand over Rs. 5000 in cash to Mr. Lamba if he could beat him. Mr. Lamba accepted the challenge, and it was agreed that, turn about, each would recite any verse from any part of any poem by Iqbal and that the other should have to recite whatever followed.