After three years in Calcutta, Damien Syed is packing his bags for Paris. The French consul general relives his time in the city and talks about the way forward in a t2 chat...
The next assignment
I will be deputy director of Ecole Nationale d’Administration, which trains high-ranking civil servants. Presidents like Emmanuel Macron, Jacques Chirac and Francois Hollande have trained there. It’s an inter-ministerial role under the authority of the prime minister. We are encouraged to work for two-three years outside the foreign ministry to gather new experiences. I will be in charge of training and internships. I will get to visit and assess students doing internships in French embassies, local administrations, prefectures and private companies. The main office is in Strasbourg, near Germany.
Mastering Indian languages...
I had chosen to specialise in Asia, for which we had to learn one major Asian language and reach Bachelor level. Our options were Japanese, Chinese and Hindi. In Japanese, the biggest hurdles are the Kanji words — the ideograms. To be able to read a simple text, you need to memorise at least 2,000 words. In Chinese, the pronunciation, for a Frenchman, is a nightmare.
Hindi is easier because of the alphabet, though the vocabulary is long. I made a lot of progress with Bengali in the first year. You are full of enthusiasm, want to reach out to people and know the place of your posting. I worked almost daily. But after that, there was less motivation and I had no time. Also Bengalis would switch to English while speaking to me. I can read and have a simple conversation. When I speak in Bengali, I do not need an icebreaker. I can read street names and shops. You feel familiar in your environment. When I went to Pondicherry, I felt I was in another country. Here even if I get lost anywhere in Bengal, I know I can find my way back.
Toughest hurdles faced in Calcutta...
The one bad experience I have had has nothing to do with work. I got appendicitis two years back on a trip to Bhutan. It was very painful. I had to get a surgery done. It was just before Durga Puja. So I missed much of the festivities.
The biggest challenge is air pollution. I used to go jogging to Rabindra Sarovar and the Maidan. But I started feeling breathless. I could not understand it at first. Then I looked at the air quality index and it was 10-15 times worse than the maximum limit set by the World Health Organisation. The air I was breathing was toxic! I stopped outdoor exercise and bought an air purifier and the problem was gone. But it was frustrating as I love to run. In the eastern part of Paris, there are big woods where I used to run two-three times a week. Kuala Lumpur too had green parks. Here we have no place to run. I think it’s criminal to let this situation go on. The local authorities should feel guilty.
Most memorable moments in Calcutta...
Seeing the beautiful Bon Jour India pavilion at the Book Fair. Over 10 days, we had 1,27,000 visitors, which was more than we expected. The site of the fair was new, in Salt Lake. We did not know what to expect. So it was cause for great satisfaction after a lot of hard work.
Also, the World Cup final. That night I stopped being the CG and became a simple French supporter cheering my team. Two years ago we lost the Euro Cup final on home soil and then we had the terrorist attack in Nice. After that difficult time, we had a perfect festive weekend — National Day on Saturday and the World Cup victory on Sunday.
Also meeting Soumitra Chatterjee, the master’s spiritual son, after having seen so many movies of the master, Satyajit Ray. You cannot imagine how famous Ray is in France. Soumitra received the Legion d’honneur from the ambassador in January. It was an emotional moment. He is so humble and accessible and loves French culture.
Three things in Calcutta you will miss...
I was fascinated how the streets are full of energy and colour. It’s a permanent show — a live performance. There is an artistic dimension to it. People are living on the street and doing everything! Every neighbourhood has its own charm.
I would miss the warm, welcoming people. Because I speak a bit of the language, I feel close to them. I have been to Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai but I did not feel the same way. There is so much love for, knowledge of and interest in my country among the Bengali babus!
The local food. It’s the best in India. It’s good for foreigners, not too heavy. I love fish. So I was lucky to have daab chingri, machher paturi, boneless ilish, pomfret and bekti. I never got bored. I don’t think we have any authentic Bengali restaurant in Paris. Bangladeshi yes, not Bengali. I love the sandesh with nolen gur inside (Jolbhora).
The Chandernagore story...
It’s a work in progress. We hope within two years the Registry Building (a 17th century structure housing the French tribunal) will come to life as a place where we can hang out and sip a cup of coffee, which can attract tourists. My successor will follow it up. I hope I can come back in future and stay there.
Favourite actress
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. When I was learning Hindi, I saw many Hindi films of hers. She was a good incentive for me to learn Hindi. I was dreaming of meeting her one day in India. That did not happen. My colleague in Mumbai received her in his office when she came to apply for a visa. He chatted with her for half an hour!
The t2 connect
It was very funny to see my face in the newspaper as I was not so much exposed to the media before. People I did not know come to chat with me. It is strange for me. I wonder if I met them before. They say, “No, no. I saw your picture in t2.” This kind of press coverage is good for us as we want to communicate our events to people. I was invited to visit the pandals with Rituparna Sengupta on my first Durga Puja (as a judge for The Telegraph True Spirit Puja). It was an amazing introduction to the city, a perfect immersion into Bengali culture.
