What’s in a name? Ask 'Chhabbis January' who faces trouble but doggedly protects his name

Nemichand Rathore

NewsBits.in

MANDSAUR: Have you ever heard a person’s name as ‘Chhabbis January’ (26 January). It is an important day in India’s history as we became republic on this day and it is celebrated every year as the Republic Day.

But can this be a person’s name. It seems strange but in Mandsaur district of Madhya Pradesh there is a person named Chhabbis January and he has faced innumerable problems on account of his odd name but doggedly refused to change it.

Chhabbis January works as LDC with the Mandsaur Education Department. On January 1, 1992 he was appointed as a peon and posted with the District Education Training Institute Mandsaur.

However his bill for the payment of salary was not accepted by the treasury as the staff felt there was a mistake as person could not have such a name. Chhabbis January had to submit his mark-sheet to convince the staff that there was no mistake. Then only he got his salary.

In 1994, the salary of the entire staff was withheld after new officials were posted in the treasury and they were surprised when they came across the name Chhabbis January.

A notice was issued to education officer and he was asked if there was an employee by the name Chhabbis January. The department submitted the required certificate and then only the salary of the staff was released.

Whenever a new collector is posted in Mandsaur, he is startled when he comes across this name. When Chhabbis January is deployed on poll duty, the election officers are taken aback and seek explanation from the officials as they think the name is wrongly printed.

Why the name Chhabbis January?

In Jhabua district a child was born in the house of a teacher Satya Narayan at the time when he was hoisting the tricolour in his school on the morning of 26 January.

There was rejoicing in the house of Satyanarayan and he named the child Chhabbis January. At the time of admission in school, Satyanarayan had to convince the staff that the child’s name was really Chhabbis January.

But at the time of Class-8 Board Examination the school asked Satyanarayan to change the child’s name. However, Satyanarayan was unmoved and finally the school had to fill the child’s exam form with the same name.

Chhabbis January has got used to facing hardships on account of his name but he loves his name.

Chhabbis January has a son Tarun and a daughter Kavita. Both of them are married and for them their father is their icon.