Laimonas Talat-Kelpsa, the outgoing ambassador of Lithuania, was given a farewell by Arvind Sukhani, the honorary consul of the Baltic state, on his last official visit to Calcutta. Park Street Privilege Club hosted a party where diplomats and their friends had a gala time, eating, drinking and dancing the evening away.
Laimonas Talat-Kelpsa, the outgoing ambassador of Lithuania, spoke to t2 on the sidelines of the party.
Would the research projects on Lithuanians with India links be the biggest legacy that you are leaving behind?
Yes. And all are related to Calcutta. We started four years ago with Antanas Poska (a Lithuanian anthropologist who undertook a motorbike expedition to India and studied in universities in Bombay and Calcutta). The University of Calcutta gave him a posthumous doctorate and installed a memorial in his name. We released three books in Calcutta in five years. We also opened an honorary consulate here. Now I am leaving with the launch of a book on Schlomith Flaum (titled From Lithuania to Santiniketan: Schlomith Flaum & Rabindranath Tagore).
Calcutta was almost your second home, you came here so often. What would you miss the most about the city?
Fried fish and mango chutney. Even Bengalis I met in Delhi served that. And of course mishti doi, for someone with a sweet tooth like me. (Grins)
As for tourism, do you see increased interest among Indians?
Now a lot of Indian families go to central Europe — Prague, Budapest and Vienna. My prediction is the time for the Baltic states is coming. Vilnius (capital of Lithuania) is the largest old town in central Europe. Cox & Kings has already started selling the Baltic states.
How has your stay changed your idea of India?
India is like a university. It transforms you. Once you are in India, you start appreciating personal space. Here you are never alone. In the beginning it disturbs you. But once you accept that there will always be someone at your elbow, there comes an expanded idea of patience.
The variety of people in India can be observed by the variety of attire in the Parliament. And yes, on two counts you can never go wrong here — you never come late and you are never overdressed! (smiles)
Sudeshna Banerjee
Pictures: Rashbehari Das
