A metropolis of contrasts, whose persons are vigorous and maintain rituals in nice regard — that’s how Kevin Kelly, Ambassador of Eire to India, describes the Capital, the place daily is totally different.
When Kelly arrived within the Capital in September 2023, his first impression was how inexperienced and delightful town was. “It’s a “disgrace concerning the air pollution”, he says. “In any other case, Delhi would, in my opinion, be probably the most lovely and livable cities on the earth.”
Earlier than being appointed to his present function as Ambassador to India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka and the Maldives, Kelly served as Head of Press and Communications for the Irish Division (Ministry) of Overseas Affairs, Dublin, Eire. (2021-2023).
Previous to that, he served as Ambassador of Eire to the Netherlands and Particular Envoy of the Authorities of Eire to Africa for Eire’s marketing campaign for election to the UN Safety Council. (2016 – 2021). Between 2007 and 2011, he served as Ambassador to Uganda and Rwanda primarily based in Kampala.
Kelly holds two Honours Masters Levels from Queens College Belfast and College Faculty Dublin and has expertise working with civil society organisations in Eire, UK and Botswana.
He’s married to Pamela Uwakwe and has two kids, Maya and Noah.
Kelly spoke to The Indian Specific as a part of a collection of interviews with Ambassadors about Delhi — their residence.
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One place within the metropolis that you just love visiting typically.
My favorite place in New Delhi must be Lodhi Backyard and Nehru Park. And I like Nehru Park notably as a result of it has a really good working monitor — very skilled and good and flat. You are able to do two rounds of that and it’s a 5-km run. So, every time the climate permits and the air pollution permits, I am going to Nehru Park. However Lodhi Backyard can also be spectacular due to the buildings and the buildings in there as properly.
Three issues that stood out for you throughout your keep right here?
I believe the primary factor is the folks, how vigorous they’re…
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Indian persons are all the time related to lovely colors, particularly the ladies and the garments that they put on, however I hadn’t realised how necessary rituals are… and celebrating all the important thing moments in life. So I actually love the truth that there are such a lot of nationwide holidays, household occasions that folks rejoice.
In our embassy, we have now a comparatively small workforce of about 50 folks, however in any week we might have, you understand, any individual coming round with samosas to rejoice some sort of private occasion, in order that’s very very particular.
The opposite factor is simply how surprisingly inexperienced and delightful New Delhi is… you consider this massive crowded, messy place with, you understand, not a whole lot of greenery. After which if you arrive, it’s so lovely… one of many greenest cities on the earth when it comes to the parks and the bushes.
It’s such a disgrace concerning the air pollution for these months of the 12 months, in any other case, Delhi would, in my opinion, be probably the most lovely and livable cities on the earth.
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The third factor can be the range. India is not only a rustic, it’s like a continent. In the event you’re down in Kerala, it’s a very totally different vibe, and should you’re in Rajasthan or Mumbai or Chennai, each single place is so uniquely totally different when it comes to their meals, customs, how folks reside their lives… in order that can also be one thing very distinctive.
I come from a really small nation… however it’s additionally fairly various when it comes to tradition and language and dialects… however nothing in comparison with India.
The one downside I face right here is the air pollution. Sadly it’s longer than three months now… should you assume it begins throughout Diwali, in order that’s October, November, December, January. We even had air pollution initially of February. So it’s an actual downside. I hope that it’s one thing that may be fastened over time.
How do you personally cope with air pollution?
I’m fortunate as a result of I reside in a pleasant home right here in Delhi and we have now air purifiers. And when the air pollution may be very dangerous, I put on a masks outdoors. However I genuinely fear for different individuals who don’t have these issues… who can’t essentially afford the electrical energy for an air air purifier of their home… and successfully it’s shortening their lives.
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In the event you take a look at another massive cities on the earth that face extreme air pollution, they’ve managed to repair that. I bear in mind once I was in college in Dublin — that’s a very long time in the past — within the late 80s and early 90s, we had horrible air pollution. I bear in mind I’d be biking within the smog going to school. That’s gone fully. We now have zero air pollution now in our metropolis.
It’s one thing that impacts all people. It impacts the wealthy, poor, center class, individuals who work for the federal government, individuals who work with massive multinationals… all people is affected by this. So there needs to be an actual incentive to attempt to repair it.
What concerning the visitors? How do you cope with that?
See, Dublin shouldn’t be nice for visitors both. We’re probably the most congested cities in Europe partly as a result of our street infrastructure isn’t pretty much as good accurately and there are a whole lot of slender streets… so the visitors might be congested however in fact it’s nothing like Delhi.
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Visitors is simply one thing that it’s a must to reside with… in fact, visitors and air pollution are two massive negatives however different issues on this fantastic metropolis make up for it in some ways.
What I’ve discovered is that perhaps I’ve develop into a Delhiite myself. Truthfully, I believe it’s higher right here than in lots of different cities like Bengaluru and Mumbai. The visitors there may be loopy.
Within the Embassy, we’ve purchased a brand new electrical tuk-tuk… with the inexperienced colors of Eire, so we’re very happy with that. We use the tuk-tuk to get us round in a faster manner within the neighbourhood…
Recollections or encounters that you just’ll always remember?
Oh, there are such a lot of. I’ll simply offer you two. One can be once I offered my credentials to Her Excellency, the President. That was probably the most lovely occasion, very properly performed by the Indian authorities within the majestic Rashtrapati Bhavan. It’s one thing that I’ll always remember.
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Then daily, there are small encounters. Final Friday was Valentine’s Day and I believe it was additionally a Hindu vacation… we went strolling at lunchtime with the workers to see the tulips on Shanti Path and we got here throughout a bunch of probably the most fantastically dressed ladies, about 15, who had been all poets… they had been all out for lunch to have a look at the tulips and presumably speak poetry to one another… we took a bit of video collectively which I put up on Instagram…
I can’t think about if I used to be strolling down the road in London, I’d come throughout a bunch of 15 ladies who’re all poets dressed fantastically and speaking about Irish poetry in addition to Indian poetry so it was very particular.
What meals do you want right here probably the most?
I’m a vegetarian. So, my favorite meals is palak paneer. And I prefer it when the paneer is a bit of bit toasted, not too gentle and fleshy. That’s completely fantastic.
There are some nice eating places, so many to call. Even right here domestically, close to the place we’re, we have now the well-known Moti Mahal, the place folks go for his or her butter hen. However for me, I all the time go for the vegetarian dishes.
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How is Delhi totally different from different cities you’ve stayed in?
It’s so big, my god. I do know London is a giant metropolis and New York is a giant metropolis however Delhi simply feels so big. Simply this Sunday, we had been invited to an occasion on a farm in Gurgaon and it took virtually as lengthy to get there as it could to go to a different county from Eire. Simply the vastness of town… it’s on a unique scale.
One thing that’s additionally very totally different is the distinction. You might have the very manicured New Delhi juxtaposed with Outdated Delhi which is higgledy-piggledy with cows on the streets and tuk-tuks. You don’t essentially get this selection in different cities.
Anywhere in Eire that’s just like Delhi?
There are, in fact, due to the British affect… there are particular architectural similarities in some areas. We don’t have the large lovely Lutyens buildings that you’ve right here, however sure buildings would remind you a bit of little bit of Dublin.
However largely I believe it’s the folks, consider it or not… as a result of Eire is also referred to as being a pleasant nation the place folks spend time and speak to you and ask questions and are useful, and that to me might be the most important similarity.
One factor that you just’ll miss probably the most concerning the metropolis if you go away?
I’ll simply miss that vibrancy, I suppose… I’ll miss the truth that each single day, should you’re open to a brand new expertise you possibly can have one in New Delhi. Individuals will speak to you… they gained’t assume you’re a loopy individual should you cease and ask them a query. Individuals will wish to get {a photograph} taken with you or present curiosity. I’ll miss being with people who find themselves open to engagements.
Fairly often in some European cities, folks stroll with their heads of their telephones… some stroll with their heads up within the air… however in Delhi, should you’re open to experiences and speaking to folks, you would spend the entire day chatting to totally different folks.
