Indian Punctuality effect! 90-minute Late for Event by CM Bommai, Tennis Legend Bjorn Borg Declines Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association (KSLTA) Felicitation
Mangaluru: Indian celebrities, and VIPs, especially politicians, are notorious for their non-punctuality. While we are accustomed to these delays, westerners aren’t obliged to do so. And as a journo, we too also face the same problems here in Mangaluru, when the dignitaries, chief guests for the programme, and especially politicians show up late and all our other engagements are screwed up. Here is an incident, where Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai experienced it first hand when Swedish tennis legend Bjorn Borg politely declined a felicitation for himself from the former as the event ran one and half hours behind the schedule. The felicitation was organised by the Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association on 21 February.
The Swedish tennis player who has won 11 grand slam titles was here to participate in the Bengaluru Open Tourney and also watch his son Leo Borg play in the tournament being held at the KSLTA. Borg, who quit the game at the peak of his career aged 27, is in the city accompanying his son Leo, who has a wildcard entry for the main draw of the ongoing Bengaluru Open at KSLTA. With Leo taking to the court at 11.00 am for his first-round match, and no sight of Bommai yet, Borg, who was seated at the stands to watch his son play, decided to give the ceremony a miss.
Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai was expected to attend the programme organised by KSLTA at 9.30 am, where India’s Vijay Amruthraj and Bjorn Borg were being felicitated. The programme was rescheduled to 10.15 am due to Bommai’s delay, but it did not start even after 11 am. Chief Minister Bommai arrived a few minutes after the match had started.
The CM’s arrival was brought to the notice of Bjorn Borg who said that he would attend the felicitation programme only after the match got over forcing the organisers to cancel the felicitation programme. Organisers said that the chief minister had arrived late as he had other engagements before the felicitation programme organised by KSLTA. “The Chief Minister was delayed due to some of his other commitments, We did inform him (CM) that Borg would be watching his son play and would not be able to be present for the felicitation. But CM was very sportive about the whole situation and decided to still come to the courts and watch some action.” said one of the organizers.
Borg was a great who won 5 successive wimbeldon titles from 76 to 80. Mckenroe won in 81. It is said he had sinus bradycardia even when playing the finals. Obviously the organisers should have done the felicitation without the CM. Officials of association should take the blame for complicating the event management.
Many years ago Ricky Ponting pushed aside Sharad Pawar who was standing among his team for photo op. We still remember that event.