From Samoa,he is on a ‘short’ diplomatic mission to India

Bruno is on a special diplomatic mission to India. He is from the Independent Nation of Samoa,located in the South Pacific. “The tiny island nation celebrates 50 years of independence from New Zealand control this year,and has a grand programme planned in the first week of June. Bruno has been appointed by the Samoan Prime Minister,Tuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi,as the organiser for the special events at the function.

He has come up with the unique idea of bringing the shortest woman in the world and the tallest man in the world to the country understood to have some of the tallest and strongest populations. “The idea is to bring together incredible presentations for the event. For us in Samoa,a small country in the middle of the Pacific,it will be such a contrast to have the shortest and the tallest persons,two world record holders at the same time with us,” he says.

Bruno will fly to Nagpur to meet Jyoti Amge,who at 1ft 11inch,has been declared as shortest woman in the world by Guinness World Records,and hand her a formal invitation for the anniversary event in Samoa. Helping Bruno in this endeavour is Sujeeth Dileep,Pune-based owner of Rambo Circus,who met Bruno over a decade ago. “He had come to Deccan to see the circus then. Since then we have become close,and he has even helped me build a tent,” Dileep says.

Bruno has a strong circus connection. He was the force behind The Magic Circus Of Samoa,a part-government-sponsored circus that travels around the world promoting Samoa. Bruno has also been struck by the Indian autorickshaw in a big way,and is steering a personal endeavour connected to them. “We are going to take 10 autorickshaws to Samoa and see how people will react. We are looking to go green,and these three-wheelers consume about 25 per cent of the fuel that our taxis and cars do. People would love to have these autorickshaws there,” says Bruno.

He is also looking to arrange for firecrackers for the ceremony from here,as they are banned in most Polynesian countries. Bruno has come to India with Tevita Pepa,a resident of the Samoan neighbour,Tonga. With him,he plans to travel to Nepal to invite the tallest man.