Joynath Victor De, a retired Indian Airlines employee, is so fond of his moustache that he is defending it in court after he says it lost him his job with the airline.
"I know I am up against a mighty organisation," De said by telephone from Kolkata. "But it has been my battle to retain my moustache for the last 10 years and I am going to see the end of it." This week, the Supreme Court asked Air India, whether the size of a person's moustache is valid grounds for dismissal, De and media reports said.
"I am from Benares, Uttar Pradesh, where a well-groomed moustache is a sign of a person's manliness and virility," De said, using the local name for the holy city of Varanasi. "There are other social reasons to consider as well. If a person suddenly shaves off his moustache then people automatically assume that there has been a death in the family," he said, referring to a Hindu tradition.
De joined Indian Airlines in 1968 as a flight steward and went on to become an assistant manager in 1994.
Trouble started when a 1998 circular required that airlines employees be clean-shaven and moustaches not exceed a certain size - De's moustache is wide and curly.
"I know I am up against a mighty organisation," De said by telephone from Kolkata. "But it has been my battle to retain my moustache for the last 10 years and I am going to see the end of it." This week, the Supreme Court asked Air India, whether the size of a person's moustache is valid grounds for dismissal, De and media reports said.
"I am from Benares, Uttar Pradesh, where a well-groomed moustache is a sign of a person's manliness and virility," De said, using the local name for the holy city of Varanasi. "There are other social reasons to consider as well. If a person suddenly shaves off his moustache then people automatically assume that there has been a death in the family," he said, referring to a Hindu tradition.
De joined Indian Airlines in 1968 as a flight steward and went on to become an assistant manager in 1994.
Trouble started when a 1998 circular required that airlines employees be clean-shaven and moustaches not exceed a certain size - De's moustache is wide and curly.
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