The curious case of Valentino Rossi Road

LAST weekend, our routine brainstorming over place names for this column threw up quite an amusing contender: Valentino Rossi Road in Fort Kochi.

- RONNIE KURIAKOSE

It got us wondering how this small bylane near the K J Herschel - Beach Road stretch got named after the Italian motorcycle racing legend and nine-time Grand Prix world champion.

Our probe starts off with an instant rebuttal. "There's no road named Valentino Rossi in the area," says local ward councillor Shyla Thadhevoose. "This is the first time I'm hearing that name, and I'm well aware of all the places here."

Most local residents echo the same. "I can tell you with absolute certainty that there is no road in this vicinity by that name," says Manuel, a long-time resident on Beach Road. "I am an autorickshaw driver. I grew up here. I know all the bylanes by heart."

He, however, does not rule out the possibility of Valentino Rossi Road being an alternative name (possibly even an official entry) for a bylane. "You see, while my name is Manuel, people here know me as Andappan. If you ask for Manuel, even several of my friends wouldn't know who that is. So it is possible that this Rossi name exists," he says.