A.      I must say that impressions about Mongolia have become more deeper and rich. I landed here when the summer had started. It was wonderful because I came from Delhi where it was about 40 degree Celsius plus. Now, it is even more impressive when Mongolia is covered in white snow.

 

 

A.      The process of learning about a country by a diplomat who is to take up his assignment is multifarious. For me impressions and experience of my predecessors were the beginning. I interacted with foreign diplomats who had either dealt with Mongolia or lived in Mongolia. I also happened to meet Mongolian diplomats before coming here and Indian scholars who have had association with Mongolia. I also flipped through whatever English language information that was available on the net. I must say that I was fairly rich about knowledge of Mongolia before I came here.

 

 

A.      I was lucky to have perceived a very realistic picture of Mongolia before coming. There was not much of difference between ground reality or as called by you “actuality” of Mongolia and what I have visualized before coming here. What has actually added to that reality is the Buddhist connection and cultural affinity with India. This is remarkable when I go out into Mongolian space cultural traditions which are so dear to us are also practiced by ordinary Mongolians.

 

 

A.      From a perspective of an Indian diplomat, Mongolia is a country which is sought after, a friendly country with historical relationship with India. For day-to-day functioning it offers all that a diplomat needs. For an Indian Ambassador political leadership is open and business community is friendly. From Indian perspective only disadvantage I see is that there is no direct flight between Delhi and Ulaanbaatar. This is a challenge for me and for the decision makers in Mongolia to put it in place.

 

 

A.      During the summer months, I had opportunity to travel to the North of Mongolia. I visited Huvsgol. I also had the opportunity to be in Murun and Erdenet. I explored initially the surroundings of Ulaanbaatar. What I meant by surrounding was within the radius of between 100-120 kilometers. You have many interesting places here and could really enjoy real nature of Mongolia.

 

 

A.      For a University Graduate in India joining the competitive Civil Service is a challenge. For approximately 800 vacancies there are more than 200,000 aspirants. Really tough intellectually. I did accept that challenge and I must confess that probably I was lucky to have got into Indian Foreign Service. My choice for foreign service was born out of the experience of my family members and relatives and the option available. It is a sense of pride to represent a country of more than 1 billion people.

 

 

A.      I perceive that a diplomat and his family enriches themselves by working and living in different countries with their customs, civilizations and languages.  No doubt, it is a challenge. But out of this challenge emerges that understanding of different people, their customs and thinking. As you travel along, this experience further enriches you. In that sense my family and I have adjusted well and enjoyed our stay in various countries. My daughter, who has now joined University in the United Kingdom, probably is the richest of us as she not only imbibed the best in these societies, but also picked up some fluency in different languages.

 

 

A.      A book on your side is always a best companion irrespective of your moods. Reading also intellectually challenges me.  I approach reading, that this wisdom of people from different civilizations and cultures is before me, for me to absorb as much as I could. The experience is highly enriching and nourishing.

 

 

 

 

A.      I have access to various types of libraries wherever I have served. In Ulaanbaatar I have a fairly good library of my own, some books paid by parent’s money and some by myself and my family members. I have free access to our Embassy’s library which is fairly rich and has books published from 1970 onwards. I am lucky to have access to English language books of the American Centre for Mongolian Studies. Therefore, books are available in plenty as per my interest.

 

 

A.      Presently, I am reading the book titled “A journey” by former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. I bought this book during my recent travel. It is very interesting book which informs about the contemporary political scene and British decision to participate in the War in Iraq and deploying their troops in our neighbourhood in Afghanistan. I am nearing the end of the book and found wealth of information in it. I am also parallely revisiting the book by our former President Radhakrishnan, who was a philosopher and diplomat, our first Ambassador in Moscow, titled “Bhagwadgita”. In the contemporary sense Dr. Radhakrishnan as Vice President of India visited Mongolia in 1957, within two years of our establishing diplomatic relations.

 

 

A.      In my free time, I do watch TV. Watching some of the movies with family is always a delight. If I could fetch a few hours then I have revived my young age hobby of horse riding. I started horse riding at the age of 5-6 and I found in Mongolia very hospitable environment to continue with that. In the surroundings of Ulaanbaatar I have also spotted some wooded areas where 45 minutes to an hour of walk is physically refreshing and gives you time to reflect upon the happenings of interest to you.

 

 

A.      I have just bought a Mongolian Primer in an effort to make some sense of things in the market and go through the Mongolian language newspaper and get a chance to hear/see Mongolian language news. With my understanding of Russian, reading Mongolian in cyrilic is manageable, but making a literary sense of it is a challenge and that is what I am addressing now.

 

 

 

 

A.      I must confess that this symbolism of my presentation of credentials on 24^th to President Elbegdorj and this happens to be the date of our establishment of diplomatic relations has come to me only from your question. I never thought of it. But it is an auspicious co-incidence. I have come to Ulaanbaatar on 18^th May and was lucky to present my credentials to President Elbegdorj within a week despite his busy schedule. As you have established this symbolism of 24^th, I accept it as a good omen.

 

 

A.      To mark the 55^th Anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations on 24 December, 2010, and reflecting on these 55 years gives a sense of awe. I have read the letters of the First Indian Ambassador who came to Mongolia in 1971 and the journey he had to undertake through Soviet Union by train. From today’s perspective contribution of my predecessors in Ulaanbaatar and Mongolian Ambassadors in Delhi has put our bilateral relationship on a very solid foundation. You could not ask for more. The comprehensive partnership between the two countries is very solidly anchored in internationally recognized bilateral agreements in every field.

 

 

A.               Bilateral cooperation between India and Mongolia is multifarious. We have had interactions at the highest level of political leaders. Our Presidents and Vice Presidents have visited Mongolia since 1957. There has been continuous stream of exchange of visits at the parliamentary and ministerial levels. Joint Declarations at the Presidential level of 1973, 1994 and 2001 and latest on September 2009 provide contemporary basis for carrying our bilateral cooperation further. After my coming here, I had the privilege of handling the visit of Indian parliamentary delegation led by Hon’ble Speaker of Lok Sabha (lower house) of the Indian Parliament. This month we were lucky to receive the parliamentary delegation led by Hon’ble Chairman of the State Great Hural of Mongolia in India. We have excellent political relations and zero economic interaction. This is really a case for worry because modern day relations between two sovereign states are serviced by thriving economic cooperation. Small quantity of trade does take place between the two countries, but it is negligible on either side. That should be the vision from economic cooperation where we have enmeshed mutual investments in each other’s country, thriving financial interaction and enhance bilateral trade. We have very good cooperation between the civil societies of the two countries. Buddhism is the common threat, but it is much more as it also has educational and cultural dimensions. 

 

We offer 120 scholarships for short duration courses to Mongolian nationals and 30 scholarships for higher studies ranging from 3-5 or even more years of study in India depending on the course chosen by the Mongolian aspirants. We are nearly fulfilling this target annually. But, we would be happy to enhance in case Mongolian side uses them to their full extent. I must mention that these scholarships are fully paid, including air travel to the place of stay in India from Mongolia. We are delighted to see young Mongolian Monks studying Sanskrit, Pali and Buddhist aesthetics and scriptures in India. As you are aware that during the visit of President Elbegdorj Government of India gave an assistance of US $ 25 million as stabilization loan and a line of credit of US $ 20 million. It is for the Mongolian leadership to make full use of these resources. I would like to reiterate that we are with you in your decision to utilize these resources for building capacity and expertise in Mongolia.

 

 

A.      Indians are interested in trade and economic cooperation with Mongolia. Both Indian government-owned entities and private sector have shown interest in mining and infrastructure development. Some of the private sector companies are already present in mining and doing what is possible for them and suits their best interests.

 

 

A.      Cooperating in the mining sector so far is limited to a few licenses to private Indian entities. We are looking forward to take this cooperation further and hope that major Indian government-owned companies and private sector companies would have their presence in Mongolia. It is a slow process. But, it is on tract and we may see some positive results in times to come.

 

 

A.      The basis of our continuous economic growth despite worldwide economic and financial crisis is intrinsically related to our vibrant education system. For us better education is foundation of better economy and healthy and prosperous society. We have some of the best educational facilities be it in science, humanities, management, research and development, etc. Most of our frontier technology programme, like IT, biotech, nuclear science, space, medicine (both human and veterinary), are serviced by Indians coming out of Indian educational institutions. The doors of these institutions are open to Mongolian nationals too. You are welcome there. As I mentioned above we offer around 150 scholarships, but once Mongolia utilizes them fully we will be open to increase this number further. I extend an open invitation to all the Mongolians to avail of these facilities. Details are available at www.indianembassy.mn under the rubric of ITEC Scholarship.

 

 

A.      Modern Indians have no exclusive claim on the teachings of Lord Buddha. Gautama Buddha’s teachings are universal. Therefore, Mongolia have as much right to this heritage as Indians or sometimes even more. Indians received it by virtue of Lord Buddha being born in India and preached on Indian soil. Contribution of Mongolia’s spiritual leaders, preachers and Monks have been much more because they had faith in them and studied those teachings and applied them to specific Mongolian conditions. In my view Mongolia’s contribution to propagation of Buddha’s teachings is immense. Attendant to these teachings had been the affinity of the two cultures. When I visited the Ger of a Mongolian Nomad, I must accept my happiness that how hospitable they were and some of our best cultural traits were practiced by them.

 

 

 

A.      Indian studies in classical sense of Buddhism and Sanskrit are being conducted at the National University of Mongolia. We have a Chair on Indian Studies at this university and we have been receiving a Professor from India annually. We also have contemporary studies at the National Technical University established in the Information Technology. We have to further expand this scope so that the Mongolians are better aware of Indian education scene.

 

 

 

 

 

A.      Mongolian Studies are done at the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), a central university. We have had the visit of Mongolian academics and professors staying at JNU and teaching Mongolian studies. I must say that Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Institute of Asian Studies in Kolkata had few scholars who had been doing research and academic work on Mongolia. Our anthropology and sociology studies had various institutions across India with focus on Mongolia, apart from our institutes of aesthetics and philosophy.

 

A.      Mongolia is a thriving democracy and India the largest democracy. 670 million electorate in India constitutes more than the population of any country in the world except one. We are very happy for this interaction between the two democracies. We look forward to more cooperative interaction between the political parties of Mongolia and India. This is a very important channel of communication between political leaderships of the two countries and for a very long time Indian National Congress had cooperation with Mongolian People’s Revolutionary Party. We are for enhancing the cooperation between the political parties of the two countries.

 

 

A.      I must say that we should further enhance and expand cooperation between the political parties of India and Mongolia, higher Indian investment in Mongolian economy, expand economic and trade relations, further deepening of civil society’s interaction be it in education, culture, religion, security and strategic issues.

 

 

A.      We have to address issues of communication both physical and digital. To begin with there has to be connectivity. This connectivity must begun with direct flight between Mongolia and India. You will be surprised to know that if one takes western route over-flying Urumchi in China, Kyrgystan, Tajikstan, Afghanistan and Pakistan, it just takes five hours to reach Delhi from Ulaanbaatar. Today, we travel through various points by taking cumbersome routes. Flights from Krasnoyask and Novosibrsk in Russia are flying on this international corridor directly to India in six hours. We have to establish this connectivity as soon as possible to realize the full potential of our bilateral interaction. 

 

This will open up vistas for Mongolian businessmen to access Indian market and more than a trillion dollar economy both for investment and trade. Students and academics will have direct access to first-rate Indian universities and educational institutions. Any Mongolian citizen will be in a position to benefit from the internationally competitive medical facilities catering to the needs of 1 billion Indians. India would be delighted to receive young Monks and Mongolian Preachers who can use monasteries and religious educational institutions dedicated to the concept of Indian philosophy and aesthetics. I must mention that India had historically remained in forefront and engaged in the intellectual pursuit and as our economic prosperity grows, this engagement is to be further enlarged and broadened. Once we have physical connectivity between the two countries, I am confident that nimble footed, supple Mongolian businessmen will find space for enhancing economic cooperation between the two countries.