The Internet never disappoints. An amusing incident went viral on X (formerly Twitter) recently when an elderly man submitted his old passport for renewal, only to reveal that it had transformed into a phone book and grocery list for his wife over the years. This is as desi as it gets! This incident may be hilarious but it makes you think “What if this happened to you?” This can destroy your international travel plans, or worse, make your passport invalid for future use. Imagine going through the same, arduous drill of applying for a passport at the local passport office. Too much of a pain!

A passport is a very important document and proof of one’s identity and nationality. There is no substitute document for a passport, and any sign of tampering, even if inadvertent, is likely to result in serious consequences. Even though it was an old passport, this still shouldn’t be taken lightly, because old as well as new passports are equally important, and shouldn’t be defiled or meddled with in any way. So imagine the man’s consternation when he found that his wife had conveniently used his passport as a makeshift phone directory!

indian passport viral video

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This bizarre incident came to light when D Prasanth Nair, CHRO, Crompton Greaves Consumer Electricals, recently shared the video that he received as a forward on his WhatsApp which has left the internet in stitches. It all started when an elderly gentleman decided to submit his passport for renewal, completely oblivious to the quirky surprise hidden within its pages. The officer responsible for processing the renewal was in for a shock – the seemingly ordinary passport had remarkably transformed into a phone book over the years.

This viral one-minute video takes us on a captivating journey through the passport’s pages. What soon becomes evident is that this document is no longer just a travel necessity; it has become an intricately maintained phone book. The passport pages are adorned with hundreds of phone numbers, including their trusted newspaper vendor, Raju, and even grocery lists detailing items like oil and coriander powder. But the surprises don’t stop there – this unique passport also boasts various calculations for tracking daily expenses, debts among acquaintances and some unexpected bookkeeping.

This vintage relic of a passport hails from a bygone era, likely dating back to the 1990s or even earlier. Unlike today’s modern passports with their sleek printed details, this old gem displays handwritten entries for the passport holder’s name and address. Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar couldn’t resist sharing this extraordinary find showcasing an unexpected use of such an official document and humorously tweeted, “Just For Laughs – many different uses of a passport.”

At a time when most people depend on their phones for saving numbers and taking notes, this lady still preferred being traditional and, unfortunately for her husband, chose a very important document for it. Netizens also joined in on the amusement, wherein one user humorously deciphered from the Malayalam scribbles, “God’s own passport!” Another praised the creative resourcefulness, saying, “Optimum use of resources.” A third person jokingly pointed out, “It happens only in India…cue the music.“

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We hope the husband gifts a notepad to his wife now to avoid ruining of any other important government document, haha!