Does your purse have 'The Little Smart Card'?

When I first heard of the LBD, it foxed the noob in me. I thought I would extend this idea of an acronym used for a Little Black Dress to label something we usually carry in our handbags and valets as the 'LSC'. I can see you scratch your head about this. But, let me tell you that some years ago, I desisted the need of printing my LSC for nearly a year. I would resolutely skirt the concerned reminders of Leela, my sincere, nice PA. But, eventually as we were hosting a big educational event with forty plus countries participating, the necessity of the Little Smart Card, aka the visiting card couldn't be pushed away.

With the visiting card now firmly in view, let's move on to a regular question that crops up as you socialize online, onsite or are with your own self: 'Who am I?' We straddle the manifold identities of a son, daughter, father, spouse, parent, manager, leader, teacher, writer, artiste, volunteer, a soul in journey, and so on. These multiple individualities seem to clash like a bunch of noisy, boisterous waves, settling calmly and frothily before rising up again. In today's world of image makeovers and branding, it is considered important to present yourself properly. I even recall the posters for a talk at 'The Forum' in Kennedy School at Harvard titled 'How to blow your own trumpet'. I didn't attend the talk to get the 'inside gyan', but do realize the need to present oneself accurately and humbly, avoiding the traps of 'over or under' bragging or 'humble bragging'.

Along this journey, I have also developed my antennae for seeking out visiting cards with a difference. This LSC or the Little, Smart Card, too, I realize offers so much scope to convey who you are, what you value and cherish. The word 'visiting card' throws back 192 Million results in half a second. There are classic cards, fashion boutique cards, funky ones, slim shaped styles, those with rounded corners, yellow stylish kinds, golden ones, as also those with cut-art or flaps. The creativity, inspiration and humor possibilities of this 3.5 by 2 inch banal artifact is indeed impressive. Hasn't it even goaded me to dedicate this column to it? Visiting cards, aka calling cards are attributed to the Chinese of the 15th century, which got mutated to miniature advertisements or trade cards by European merchants in the 17th century. The present day paper and ink form was born in 18th century, to become a rage across France, United Kingdom and Europe.

The etiquette associated with the simple gesture of exchanging cards is almost a global tradition today. Apparently, 'the name card is presented with both hands. A card is also accepted with both hands, and the receiver should look at the name for at least a quick second before returning to the conversation', says the unwritten rule! I am not sure I remember to follow this, but my curiosity certainly likes to spot nice, different, 'hatke' things the card has, scanning across and also flipping it over, lest I miss something. I promptly also blurt out my desire of aping something nice that I see in it. For instance, my sanitation team member Divya Gupta's card had Gandhi's picture on the back with the quote of 'Be the change you wish to see." The accordion-like visiting card of a philanthropist lists all his charities and inspires me to give back with compassion to the world.

Recently, 'The Elders', a body founded by the Late Nelson Mandela visited Gujarat. I was humbled to see the former Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, apart of 'the Elders' offer his visiting card to me in 'copy book' style with both hands and bent head. As the head of the group, Ms. Gro Harlem Brundtland, the former Prime Minister of Norway looked on, she smiled at me and shared that she doesn't believe in 'visiting cards'. This statement of hers was itself her visiting card, and I smiled back, thinking that I have been planning to emulate that for some time now! Avoid I would, if I can. But, can we at least pepper the LSC or Little Smart Card with a nugget or two of uniqueness, creativity, humor or inspiration?

The author is a Harvard-educated civil servant & writer, and has worked in the education sector 
jayanti.ravi.dna@gmail.com