Non Stop Job 1100 Day Guinness World Record set by Indian

He is somebody every company would yearn to hire. Why not, if he has worked for 1,100 days without leave? K Vijayan, 59, employed with a city-based hotel, hasn’t taken a single day’s leave for over three years now. Leave aside casual or sick leaves, Vijayan hasn’t even taken a single weekly off. And, this unusual feat has earned him a place in the Guinness Book of World Records.

The Guinness Book of World Records (GBWR) has acknowledged that no person in the world has worked for so long continuously, without a break. “I had never thought of creating a record. I am a workaholic and work is my religion. I have never liked missing out a single workday throughout my career,” Vijayan told TOI.

Vijayan works as night auditor at Surya Palace Hotel and his work starts at 11 pm and he leaves the hotel at 9 in the morning. “I had read about such records in newspapers a few months ago. It occurred to me that I hadn’t taken a single day off for years together and hence I decided to approach the GBWR,” added Vijayan.

When Vijayan went through the attendance register in the hotel earlier this year, he found that he hadn’t taken any leave or weekly offs for 1,100 nights. He contacted the GBWR authorities in March and informed them about his achievement. GBWR officials checked their records and found that no one held world record in such category. “They acknowledged my achievement and sent me procedural forms. The process to provide me a certificate is on,” said Vijayan who also fulfils all his social obligations during day time. This arts graduate came to the city about 36 years ago and began his career with Kalyan Hotel, one of the oldest food joint.

“I am proud to have a dedicated employee like Vijayan. He has been with us for the past 13 years and has never given us a chance to complain. I often tell him to take holidays, but he always refused,” said Piyush Shah, owner of Surya Palace Hotel. Didn’t his wife or children ever object to his workaholic ways? “I never objected or argued with him. He has always been dedicated to his work and I am proud of him. Also, he does fulfil all his personal commitments despite hectic work schedule,” said his wife Mrudula.

World Most Expensive Pearl Carpet sold at $5.5mn

The famed Pearl Carpet of Baroda has become world's most expensive carpet beating the record of a silk Persian rug, sold last year. It has also set the record of a work sold at auction in the Middle East.

Sotheby's First-Ever International Auction Series in the Middle East realized $18,001,725 (including buyer's premium). A rare Safavid Silk Velvet Panel from 17th century Iran sparked a bidding battle and was sold for nearly ten times the estimate. The Pearl carpet fetched $4.8m ($5,458,500 including buyer's premium) breaking the world record.

Embroidered with as many as one-and-a-half million of the fabled ‘Basra’ pearls, harvested in the southern Gulf region and along the coasts of Qatar and Bahrain, the bejewelled masterpiece is traditionally believed to have been created as a gift for the tomb of the Prophet Muhammad in the holy city of Medina in Saudi Arabia and was commissioned by the Maharaja of Baroda, “Gaekwar” Kande Rao,.

The intended gift was clearly never delivered as the Maharaja died before he made the donation and the carpet therefore remained in his family collection for more than 100 years.

The Pearl carpet broke the record held by a silk Isfahan carpet, Silk Safavid Carpet, which went under hammer for $4.45m at Christie's auction, last year.

At the Arts of the Islamic World session, a Safavid work, exhibited for the first time after having resurfaced from a private collection, went under hammer at $3,442,500m.