He is easily irked when attendants outdo him to operate a switch in his personal quarters — something President APJ Abdul Kalam insists he can still manage himself. But when it comes to treating guests in Rashtrapati Bhavan, the President has been making it very clear to his staff: ‘‘Nothing less than the best will do.’’Prodded by this Presidential pledge, the hospitality staff of Rashtrapati Bhavan — many of whom have no knowledge of English — with unwavering faith on their rote skills are trying to master courteous English phrases. In introducing phraseology lessons, Rashtrapati Bhavan sources say, Kalam is ringing in a revolution of sorts: for the first time the attendants, butlers, ushers and even chefs are being encouraged to verbally interact with guests. Greeting Then: A polite bow to the guest Now: Good morning/afternoon/evening Sir/Madam Presentation of the Menu Then: Hold up the menu to the guest for selection Now: May I present to you the menu for your selection; May I suggest some items — for the main course, we have. Serving etiquette Then: Serve, bow and then leave Now: Enjoy your appetiser/ soup/salad/main course or should you need anything else, please do not hesitate to call me. If an attendant would earlier bow down and usher a guest with a polite sweep of his arms, he will now stand upright, welcome the guest with a ‘‘Good morning/afternoon/evening’’, then with a brisk movement of his hands point to the direction and say: ‘‘This way please’’.This is a break from tradition as the precedent in Rashtrapati Bhavan has been to limit interaction with guests to supervisors and senior staff members. Officials in support of Kalam’s initiative say the time has come to replace servitude with courteous hospitality. At official dinners, for instance, the butler would previously wait silently till the guest made a selection from the menu. But armed with courteous phrases, he can now say: ‘‘May I present to you the menu for your selection?’’Rashtrapati Bhavan officials, who have been carrying out research on hospitality during the past few months, believe that interaction by the person in contact with the guest is more comforting and warm. According to them, the passive presence of a silent attendant, simply waiting to take orders, is remnant of an outdated era. In fact, the staff is now being encouraged to take the initiative and make suggestions like ‘‘Madam, may I offer you a glass of refreshing drink to start with?’’A list of such phrases and the appropriate situation where they can be used has now been compiled into a booklet. But imparting lessons is not that easy, particularly ensuring that the pronunciation and diction are not faulty. The training is being done in small batches with officials hoping to finish the task in the next three-to-four months.The housekeeping staff is one section on whom the officials are laying more emphasis. It is understood that Rashtrapati Bhavan has been disappointed with heads of state of important countries deciding to stay outside the Presidential estate. So, the housekeeping staff has a separate list of phrases like ‘‘May I make up your room’’ or ‘‘Shall I draw the curtains’’ to memorise. They are also being taught English equivalents of Indian terms.To ensure that it is not the hospitality of Rashtrapati Bhavan which is inhibiting guests from putting up there, Kalam has backed his staff’s initiatives to undertake visits to posh hotels, organise training programmes, modernise facilities, build a new kitchen and draw up changes in the menu.
