Indian-Origin Professor Details Embarrassing Incident Involving Delhi Tourists at Iguaçu Falls
Gaurav Sabnis, an Indian-origin professor at New Jersey's Stevens Institute of Technology, has shared a disheartening experience from his visit to the iconic Iguaçu Falls, where he felt profound embarrassment due to the unruly behavior of a group of fellow Indian tourists. The incident, which occurred during a boat safari tour, highlights issues of public etiquette and national image abroad.
Queue-Jumping and Loud Behavior Mar the Experience
Sabnis recounted that reaching the boat for the safari required tourists to change vehicles three times and stand in multiple queues. While many Indians were present, he specifically pointed out a group from Delhi, whom he described as "intent on winning the Delhi stereotype bingo." This group began jumping the line, calling others to join them by pushing ahead, despite the queues moving quickly and there being no legitimate reason for such haste.
Initially, four individuals skipped the line, but this number soon swelled to eight as they summoned more companions, and eventually grew to fifteen under the pretext of traveling together. Sabnis noted that other tourists started rolling their eyes and becoming visibly annoyed. The group was exceptionally loud, chattering continuously without any regard for lowering their voices in public, further disrupting the peaceful environment.
Confrontation and Unnecessary Ruckus
When Sabnis protested, explaining that if they were traveling together, they should have joined the queue collectively rather than cutting in, the group offered to let him go ahead. He declined, emphasizing that the issue was not merely about saving time—they were only gaining 4-5 minutes at best—but about the negative impression their behavior created for Indians globally. He expressed frustration that the entire commotion was utterly unnecessary and reflected poorly on their conduct.
Boat Ride Escalates the Embarrassment
The situation worsened during the boat ride itself, where the men began shouting "India! India!" as if at a cricket match, drawing disapproving looks from non-Indian tourists. Sabnis felt so mortified that he humorously considered writing "I'm not with them" on his T-shirt. He lamented that while many other Indians in the tour group were polite and soft-spoken, adhering to queue etiquette, their positive actions would likely be overshadowed by the loud group's obnoxious behavior.
Sabnis added that such actions do no good for India's reputation, especially in a country known for its politeness, as these tourists seemed unaware that loudly chanting in a shared space, while others are capturing lifelong memories, tarnishes the image of Indians abroad. The incident serves as a stark reminder of how individual actions can impact collective perceptions in international settings.
