Trump’s visit to India has run into a problem with names

President Trump’s visit to India has run into a problem with names, specifically that of the two great cricket players Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli whose names he completely mispronounced (“Modi took Trump’s name 22 times during ‘Namaste Trump’, Feb.25, Gulf Today).

There are many names in the world that are difficult to pronounce but not these two and surely, he would have heard the names before and how to pronounce them. If a name is difficult then a pre-apology, ‘I’m not sure if I am going to pronounce this correctly’ would be a good option.

Since it was obvious that he was reading the names syllable by syllable then he should have apologised later. If an Indian politician had introduced him as President Tramp instead, there would have been a diplomatic incident! I wait to hear his apology.

Dennis Fitzgerald
Melbourne, Australia