You would expect that anyone carrying the surname of Bradman, would be incredibly weighed down by it considering the phenomenal achievements of the Australian legend on cricket pitches around the world between 1928 and 1948, but such was not the case with his granddaughter Greta, a 35-year-old Soprano, who came across as very confident and relaxed during an interaction with media before joining an over three-hour-long Australian World Orchestra concert conducted by Maestro Zubin Mehta at the Jawaharlal Nehru Weightlifting Auditorium here on Friday evening.
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The interaction seemed to be concentrated on that famed surname and her first experience of India.
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Asked for impressions, she said, "I have not seen nearly enough to make a judgment. The food is delicious, I am fascinated by the wide variety of cuisine available, the vibrancy of colour, the sites, the smell, all of which is very unique in terms of order, quite chaotic, but it works. I really want to come back and see more of this country and its many cities. This is indeed a magical trip, and the people have been warm and welcoming.
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When the conversation obviously drifted towards the surname, Greta said that for the first 15 years of her life, she went by the surname of Bradson and really had no idea what it meant to be a "Bradman"
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"My dad (John) changed the name at 30. My grandpa (Don) understood why he did it. But after my grandmother (Jane) passed on, we went back to Bradman, and my grandpa was tickled pink and happy when told about it. Going back to the name Bradman, changed everything. People looked at you differently, with a sense of awe, and at times, it bothered on the ridiculous," Greta Bradman said.
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She further said that a famous surname can be an impediment, but it turned out interesting for her in terms of the career choice that she made.
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She recalled that her famous surname had really no impact on Maestro Mehta.
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"He took me for my singing. He did not let that famous surname come in the way of deciding whether to select me or not to select me. I sent him three Arias. Maestro Mehta is a huge cricket fan, I know. His questions on my grandfather are enough to tell me that, but I'm sure he chose me for my repertoire and music. He doesn't have it any other way," said Greta.
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On her views about a nation as cricket-obsessed as India, she said it was just amazing, but added that the sport is not just about the engagement between bat and ball, it was also about values and shared experiences on and off the field.
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Greta said that she was drawn to classical music because of Sir Donald Bradman's fascination for Zubin Mehta, and for her to be singing alongside the latter, was actually a huge dream come true, and believed that her grandpa would have been one very happy man to see it had he been alive.
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She also spoke about her 'wonderful' shopping experience in Delhi's Janpath market.
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Asked whether she had ever interacted with the Indian cricket team, she said, she had the opportunity when the team had toured Down Under in 2014-15, during a boat cruise along the Sydney Habour. It was a wonderful experience too.
