"Few Indians from the group were cracking jokes on the air hostesses." It means, 'Very few, practically no Indians were cracking jokes...' The author has forgotten to add the article 'A' at the start of the sentence. The sentence should had been.'A few Indians from the group were cracking jokes on the air hostesses."
Strange, though it may sound to the elite travellers,the educated, elite Indians are more responsible for bringing shame to India than the "subji market" clan.
No other national would write so shamefully of their own countrymen as the "educated" and "well-mannered" Indians do.
It doesn't stop just there. Even as some "foreigner", especially the fair skinned (even if a rung or two lower in status and competence) visits our country on an official visit, the demeanour of the Indian who is accompanying them around is hardly appreciable. He would hardly behave in the same way as that person would in his country. We even indulge in looking down upon our fellow countrymen when accompanying a westerner.
Talking of uncouth behaviour, it's more of a personal trait than community's and is visible in many global travellers, irrespective of country of origin.
I really hope the author is not one of that kind, but looking just a bit deeper down, it won't be too difficult to agree with.
Time the more "suave, elite etc." became proud, assertive and appreciative of the lesser mortals from their Great Nation
