Time management

Yesterday evening I went to the ITC Sonar Bangla Art Gallery for the inauguration of Simran K S Lamba’s (picture) exhibition. The inauguration was slated for 7 pm but when I heard that Rituparna was to do the honours, I was cocksure that it would never happen on time.

I went to the gallery, met the artist Mr Lamba, Tanusree Shankar, Jayabrato Chatterjee, Shamlu Dudeja (picture) and other guests and left around 8:30 pm. As I was on my way out, I met Rituparna who was entering the Hotel lobby and walking towards the art gallery.

A chronic latecomer at events and functions, Ritu somehow fails to be on time even in places like the Raj Bhawan that follow strict protocols. I think this is due to her numerous pressing commitments and engagements that makes the element of punctuality go haywire and keeps her from being on time. Time management isn’t really her forte.

I remember last year at the Chaltabagan puja, Rituparna arrived five minutes before the program was to start. Everybody, especially the press photographers, were surprised. I had actually printed two invitation cards. One card that mentioned the program timing as 5 pm was for Rituparna and the other that mentioned the program timing as 7 pm was for other guests. That was the reason that the guests found her to be on time or even five minutes before time.

Take away the element of punctuality and I find her to be one of the most hard working women I have ever come across.

Artist Simran’s work was quite different from conventional paintings or sculptures. It was mixed art work in molten coal tar. I really liked the work titled Antaryatra.

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