- India's Ambassador to China, Vikram Doraiswami, speaks fluent Mandarin in a video
- Doraiswami gives a detailed tour of the Indian Embassy in Beijing and its services
- Doraiswami highlights cultural ties with China, referencing Rabindranath Tagore's visit
India's Ambassador to China, Vikram Doraiswami, is going viral on social media for a video in which he speaks fluent Mandarin and gives a tour of the Indian Embassy in Beijing.
In the video, Doraiswami introduces himself in Mandarin and says, "Hello everyone, this is the Indian Embassy in China. I am Vikram Doraiswami, the newly appointed Ambassador of India." He then takes viewers on a tour of the embassy, explains the services it offers, and shows its different sections.
He states that the embassy, located in the Liangmaqiao diplomatic district and completed in 2012, houses cultural, consular, economic and commercial sections. "Whatever your needs are, my team can help you with them here," he says.
During the tour, the ambassador also shows a statue of Rabindranath Tagore, recalling the poet's visit to China more than a century ago.
"Tagore visited China and called for the awakening of Asian culture and people. He emphasized that China and India are home to two of the world's oldest civilisations and most populous nations, each has its own distinct and diverse culture," he states.
Doraiswami further states that our traditional cultures are extraordinary and truly one-of-a-kind. "We have diverse music, theatre culture, fine arts and distinctive cuisines. As two of the world's most populous countries, we are very unique in terms of culture," he adds.
He also shows the embassy's main entrance which features architectural styles from western India. Next to it is embassy's cultural centre where courses such as yoga and dance are offered. He points to an exhibition area displaying handicrafts from across India under the "One District One Product" initiative.
"India is not only renowned for performing arts but also possesses a profound tradition of handmade crafts," he states. "We welcome Chinese friends to enjoy these exquisite art pieces when you are here," he says in the video, adding that he looks forward to meeting visitors at embassy events.
The Ministry of External Affairs appointed Doraiswami as India's Ambassador to the People's Republic of China in March. Before this, he was the High Commissioner of India to the United Kingdom.
"I noted that Ambassador Doraiswami has chosen a Chinese name for himself: Wei Jiameng", Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told a media briefing in March.
