To be honoured by your school after you’ve made it big in life is a special moment indeed. So when cricketer Rohit Sharma’s school, Swami Vivekanand International, invited him for a special function in his honour, he was delighted. It all began with an elaborate cultural programme presented by the present students, all probably thrilled that one amongst them is today more or less a national hero.

After what happened at Wankhede Stadium, the political leaders who thronged this function were savvy enough not to make the cricketer sit in the back row. In fact, one of them even pointed this out to those present. “I’m only happy that we are sitting with Rohit Sharma in the front row and not at the back,” said former Petroleum Minister Ram Naik at the conclusion of his speech.

But then it became a succession of speeches, with local politicians of almost every party taking to the mike. Even after they were through, no one realised that Sharma himself was never asked to say even a few words! Even Sharma’s parents, Gurunath and Poornima Sharma, remained mute spectators.

However, when After Hours asked the school’s director, Yogesh Patel, why none of the Sharmas were allowed to speak, he said, “They had told me earlier that they didn’t want to say anything.” And if that wasn’t enough, he adds, “Rohit’s success and the welcome he received was way too overwhelming for them. As for Rohit, he was down with fever, with cold and sore eyes. The very fact that he turned up for the event was a blessing; hence, we didn’t ask him.”

But how come then that he agreed to make a rather flamboyant entry, crashing through a temporary paper screen, almost like a filmstar making a stage appearance. But Patel had more reasons lined up: “He’s a shy boy and he doesn’t really like to give speeches.” Now, really!