Novel a passage to india5/31/2023 ![]() Much may not have changed in the essential realities of diplomatic life in the last four centuries as can be seen from the extensively researched and brilliantly written Courting India by Nandini Das. The envoy, to have credibility both at home and abroad, has to enjoy-and be seen to enjoy-his patron’s trust. As important as creating a position of advantage in the foreign land is the need to guard one’s back from jealous rivals and ill-wishers back home, for embassies are coveted positions. If resources are limited, as they often are, the ambassador needs much more creativity and imagination. ![]() ![]() The pressure to fulfil a specific mission, the need to understand and operate the political levers of a foreign land and court, to build alliances and counter competition are the more obvious tasks. Behind the curtain of glamour and ceremony, they are constantly warding off multiple challenges while keeping several balls in the air. ![]() AMBASSADORS, CONTRARY TO general opinion, can often lead fraught lives. ![]()
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