Page 56 - English Reader - 8

while some stood still—switched out off operation. Just as Prem Chopra stepped on to the threshold

of the hall, one of the robots swiftly came forward. “Good day, Sir, welcome to Super Robots Plaza.
We hope that your visit here proves worthwhile,” the silver robot said in a metallic voice.
“Brilliant,” mumbled Prem Chopra, somewhat bewildered.

The salesman gave a proud smile as he headed towards an isolated robot in metallic blue. “This one
is perfectly programmed to function in the household—cleaning, arranging, collecting groceries
from the supermarket, tending the lawn, mailing letters, relating your favourite progammes on the

TV, and selecting news of your interest from the paper.” The salesman paused for breath and
continued, “All you need is the remote control monitor for command.”
“You mean sitting at home I can command the robot in
the city market?” asked Prem Chopra.

“It operates within a limited radius of half a kilometre.
By the way, this one is called Ram Singh—070,” the
salesman explained.

Prem Chopra nodded. The salesman checked up on
the gait, grip, movement, and some programmed
functions. Everything was well tuned and fixed.

“I will take him,” Prem Chopra decided.

“Certainly Sir,” nodded the salesman. “If you
come along to the office, I will explain to
you Ram Singh’s functions and give you the
manual, etc.”

“Sure, sure,” Prem Chopra seemed satisfied with the deal.

“I must tell you, like all robots, and adhering to the discipline of robotics, Ram Singh–070 has an in-
built system of three principles: the robot will obey his master; the robot will not harm humans; and
the robot will not cause harm to self.”

Prem Chopra heard the first principle and it impressed him. He paid no heed of the other two. He
nodded delightedly and signed the sale deed and contract of ‘no misuse of the robot’. He had got a
servant and an accomplice.

“If Ram Singh—070, my robot, can shop for groceries, then why not for better things like jewels?”
thought Prem Chopra.
In the market, robots carrying heavy packets, buying theatre tickets, carrying groceries to the cars

were a common sight, but still strange and amusing servants. Ram Singh—070 was thoroughly
efficient. With tremendous speed and accuracy, he collected the groceries into the shopping trolley
and paused for the next command. “Two kilograms of mangoes—ripe and juicy,” commanded Prem
Chopra from a distance, seeing a huge pile of mangoes. In no time, Ram Singh—070 had selected
the best ones.

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