Indian origin? Indian prideOne thing they will never run out of is Indian-ness. And with the world brimming with successful Indian-origin people and leaders of all kinds, the media and the public keep the pride factory churning. From outgoing US Vice-President Kamala Harris to Kash Patel, Sriram Krishnan or Vivek Ramaswamy, who have come to occupy top echelons of the Trump administration, from former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to Anita Anand, a potential replacement for Canadian PM Justin Trudeau, we simply can’t get enough. So when we discovered that Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam has a distinctly Tamil-sounding name, we quickly felt proud. His presidency is relatively new, but Shanmugaratnam has frequently visited India in various capacities. That only strengthened perceptions of his Indian origin. It must have ruffled a few feathers at the Sri Lankan embassy in the national capital because they hastily pointed out: “Shanmugaratnam is not an Indian Tamil. He is Sri Lankan Tamil.” Well, you know how things are with South Asian identities! Never easy.Diplomatic benefits of YogaFor centuries, Yoga has nourished Indian health and ethos. How does it matter if India has a very high number of diabetes cases in the world? We still have Yoga. The ordinary citizen, too, is aware of its benefits. Plus, there’s International Yoga Day. After encouraging every Indian to practice Yoga, the Ministry of External Affairs has taken it upon itself to share its benefits with foreign diplomats residing in New Delhi. As part of a pilot, Yoga instructors arrived at diplomatic residences in Dwarka and offices at Jawaharlal Nehru Bhavan. And guess what? It was a huge hit! Many diplomats reported feeling physically ‘rejuvenated’. Others talked about ‘miracle cures’ for old ailments such as knee and back aches. ‘Ancient wisdom,’ we cheered. Some diplomats were so impressed that they requested their instructors for online sessions. ‘Overwhelmed’ by the feedback, the ministry is now looking to expand this wellness initiative, hiring three more yoga instructors to keep diplomats fit and sharp. Ideal candidates for the job? Preferably bilingual, aged 25-45, and ready to channel India’s soft power for diplomatic benefits. Namaste for that!
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