German consul-general Rainer Schmiedchen is particularly proud of the German consulate, which was recently renovated; Pic by Bhubaneswarananda Halder

It was a move that Dean R. Thompson didn’t anticipate. In India for a quick trip from Dhaka, he was meeting with a diminutive nun in a white sari bordered with blue. As they were about to part, Mother Teresa whipped out her visiting card. “Like I might forget meeting this Nobel Prize winning humanitarian,” laughs Thompson, the United States consul-general in Calcutta whose meeting with Mother Teresa took place during a brief vacation to the city in the ’90s.

Cut across to Alipore where German consul-general Rainer Schmiedchen had only been in Calcutta three days when Mamata Banerjee won the assembly elections. As he went to call on the new chief minister, he found himself a part of an “unbelievably vibrant crowd” in front of her home. It was a moment that has been indelibly imprinted in his mind.

What’s it like to be a consul-general in the City of Joy, the city of pavement dwellers and decayed glory? How does it feel to land in Calcutta after tasting the high life in London or Tokyo? One thing’s for certain: diplomats who come to Calcutta can’t complain that it’s dull and stereotyped like half-a-dozen other cities anywhere in the world.

The city’s enthusiasm for Chinese cuisine has taken Chinese consul-general Zhang Lizhong by surprise; Pic by Subhendu Chaki

Italy’s consul-general Joel Melchiori can be spotted from a distance as he travels around the city in a distinctive silver grey Ambassador with his country’s flag prominently on display. He can chat at length about the city’s older landmarks like the Marble Palace.

Coming to Calcutta has been quite an experience for Melchiori — it’s his first ever foreign posting. And he had never been to India before. “When you jump to here from Europe, it’s quite an experience,” he says with a smile.

Russian consul-general Irina Bashkirova is another diplomat who’s transfixed by Calcutta’s older monuments and buildings. She’s waiting for winter when she plans to make trips around the city armed with her camera.

But Bashkirova is an India veteran who knows the country like the back of her hand. She started out by studying Hindi at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations. And she has spent almost 11 years in postings both in Delhi and Mumbai.

Some foreign consulates have long histories in this city that date back to the times when Calcutta was the second city of the British Empire. Thompson found himself almost overwhelmed by the past when he stepped into the American consulate. The consulate is one of the oldest American missions in the world and the first consul was appointed by George Washington in 1792. Says Thompson: “When I first walked in, I was struck by the plaque listing all the consuls-general who’ve been here.”

Bengali sweets and fish fry are American consul-general Dean R. Thompson’s weakness; Pic by Anindya Shankar Ray

The Germans came in the mid-1800s when their country was rising as one of Europe’s great powers. And Japan came in 1907 when their country was also making its debut as a global power to be reckoned with. The mission is one of the oldest Japanese consulates in the world.

By contrast, the Chinese consulate is a symbol of changing equations in the modern world. It opened in 2008 after India and China agreed to open a new consulate during Chinese President Hu Jintao’s visit to India. In exchange, India opened a consulate in Guangzhou. China’s Zhang Liz-hong, when he first came here, was amazed by foo- daholic Calcutta’s enthusiasm for Chinese cuisine, down to the pavement vendors rustling up Benglicised ‘chow-mein’ near his residence.

The work of a consulate depends very much on the country and its interests. Step into the Japanese Consulate in Tollygunge and you’ll find framed photographs of programmes organised in Calcutta in support of Japan after the 2011 tsunami. It’s a topic close to consul-general Mitsuo Kawaguchi’s heart. “We cannot think of it without tears,” he says.

Kawaguchi is another India veteran and has been in this country 13 years. He first came to the city in 1976 as a young student studying Hindi at the Banaras Hindu University and recalls being shocked at the number of street dwellers. “It is said at that time there were 10 lakh-12 lakh people living on the street. Now, with the economy developing, this number has reduced,” he says. Kawaguchi has done stints in Delhi and was earlier also the deputy consul- general in Calcutta. This is, he says, his “most favourite city” on account of the warmth of the people — though he admits that he hasn’t learnt Bengali yet.

Like Russian consul-general Irina Bashkirova (top); Pic by Anindya Shankar Ray, Joel Melchiori (above), Italy’s consul-general, is fascinated by the city’s old monuments and buildings; Pic by Biswaroop Dutta

Bashkirova, who came to Calcutta just four months ago, says there’s no such thing as an ‘average’ day at work. She’s in office by 8am and starts with going through the newspapers and mail, followed by routine paperwork. She calls it a “lazy day” if she hasn’t received at least two or three visitors.

But Bashkirova’s work extends far beyond her office. The Russians have scores of joint ventures with India that she has to constantly keep track of. “In Koraput, Odisha, Russian and Indian specialists work on a joint “BrahMos” project, producing the best cruise missiles in the world,” says Bashkirova. The consulate also coordinates with the Russian experts at Durgapur, Rourkela and Bokaro and a hydroelectric power plant in Balimela. She says the consulate played a crucial role in the setting up of a new assembly line for Ural trucks in Haldia as well.

At 6-ft, 4-in, German consul-general Schmiedchen is proud of being the city’s tallest diplomat. He learnt Hindi at Humboldt University, Berlin, and that’s where he met his wife Annette, who’s a Sanskrit scholar.

Schmiedchen has worked in countries like Sri Lanka, Russia and Belgium and aside from the routine work, he’s trying to promote scientific exchange and research projects with organisations in the region. Last year, he even organised a football match on the consulate lawns with players from three of Calcutta’s women football clubs. “In the evening, I enjoy taking part in the cultural events and entertaining my Indian friends and foreign colleagues,” he says.

For diplomats, the most important work is often done after office hours. “In the evening, we are often engaged with receptions or dinners that are an important part of the job for gathering information,” says Melchiori. But during weekends, whether there are guests or not, he enjoys cooking with his wife.

Nepal’s consul-general, Chandra Kumar Ghimire, has to deal with very different issues from his counterparts. But at the end of the day, he’s made it a ritual to sit with his laptop every night and write about his experiences in Calcutta. He recently wrote a piece on Calcutta, Sunil Gangopadhyay and Allen Ginsberg that was published in a Nepalese broadsheet. He is also writing on “Calcutta and the beauty of the Bengali society”.

Calcutta’s show of support after the 2011 tsunami is something Japanese consul-general Mitsuo Kawaguchi speaks of fondly; Pic by Bhubaneswarananda Halder

For Zhang, one out-of-office-hours experience was seeing how Chinese New Year is celebrated in Calcutta. Interestingly, the tradition of having a ‘Lion Dance’ is still continued in India though it is fading in China.

Thailand was one of the first countries to set up a consulate in Calcutta a few years after Independence. And consul-general Prasittidesh Vichitsorasatra ushers you into his office with a genial “Tumi kemon acho?”. He says he bartered lessons in Bengali in exchange for Thai with two interns working at the consulate.

Each of the consuls-general has a favourite spot in the city. The iconic Victoria Memorial is obviously popular. Says Vichitsorasatra: “It’s similar to the Taj Mahal.” Kyaw Swe Tint, consul- general of Myanmar, is also fond of the iconic monument. His youngest school-going son, incidentally, loves his school in Calcutta.

But the Indian Museum has a special significance for Vichitsorasatra and his family. “It has a relic of Lord Buddha and we visit the museum to worship it,” says the consul-general.

The Thai consul-general Prasittidesh Vichitsorasatra has picked up a smattering of Bengali from interns working at the consulate; Pic by Arnab Mondal

Schmiedchen is quite fond of the majestic National Library and its lush lawns. But he’s also extremely proud of the sparkling white German consulate building built in 1903 that was renovated at a cost of more than 200,000 euros. Ghimire, meanwhile, loves browsing through the pavement bookstalls of College Street. “It thrills me to rummage through those stacks of ancient books looking for some that are not in print anymore,” he says.

Bashkirova’s family has stayed on in Moscow but she’s kept busy even after office hours with social functions. One of her favourite hobbies is growing orchids and she’s eagerly looking forward to the plant exhibition in November organised by the Agri-Horticultural Society of India.

Since their children study abroad, it’s just Thompson and his wife, Jane, in Calcutta. An early-childhood special education teacher, Jane has been involved with organisations like the Indian Institute for Cerebral Palsy, the International Justice Mission and Sanlaap and has done a lot of outreach through the American Center to various educational groups. The twitterati would know Thompson as a regular who keys in @deanthompson. He also loves reading, and has just started Ruchir Sharma’s Breakout Nations.

Chandra Kumar Ghimire, Nepal’s consul-general, keeps a journal about his experiences in Calcutta; Pic by Rashbehari Das

Has not knowing Bengali ever posed a problem? China’s Zhang uses English at all official meetings but sometimes feels at a loss not knowing the local language. “When I attend cultural events, the artists tend to speak Bengali so I miss out on some things,” he says. Zhang’s son is taking special classes to help him catch up in English. Says Zhang: “He once told me, ‘Dad, I want to stay in Calcutta’.”

Interestingly, all the foreign consuls are big fans when it comes to Calcutta’s food. Thompson says: “They are evil, pure evil, because they make such wonderful mishti,” referring to the Ganguram sweet shop located round the corner from his consulate. Kewpie’s, known for its authentic Bengali fare, is also a well-loved haunt, but his favourite is the Indian Railways’ fish fry offered by the chief minister at Writer’s Building.

Both Vichitsorasatra and the Swe Tint speak of their love of biryani and tandoori chicken. For Tint, it’s a link with his homeland while Vichitsorasatra carries packs of biryani to Bangkok each time he visits.

Calcutta’s only a way stop for these globetrotting diplomats who hop from one continent to another during their careers. But it will, almost certainly, be one that will stay in their memories as being like none other.