If there’s a Carterpuri, why not a Trumpgram?

US President Donald Trump is certainly not one of those people for whom having things named after them would be a novelty. His name is literally emblazoned across his business empire. However, even he should be a little concerned if a gentleman who has earned his spurs by building low-cost toilets announces there are plans to name something in India after this POTUS. There is a US presidential village precedent – Carterpuri, previously known as Chuma Kheragaon, now engulfed by Gurugram’s sprawl.

But that name was adopted later after a panchayat decision, not renamed by someone else. Moreover, Carterpuri villagers are none too happy now about the name change as it did not really help them, say, get special visa quotas or any other presidential largesse they may have expected to come their way. So other Indian villagers today would be even less eager to have their hamlets morph into Trumpgram.

Of course, unlike Carter who was a peanut farmer, the current POTUS is a real estate developer, so there may be chances of a Trump resort, golf course or condominium cropping up in a future Trumpgram. But unless there is some indication that such a gesture will improve the US stand on H-1B visas and other pending bilateral issues, it is unlikely the toilet evangelist’s promise will find traction in India.