Roaming Roemer

President and Mrs. John F. Kennedy greet Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Mrs. Gandhi in the White House.

Each year on the third Monday of February, the United States celebrates Presidents’ Day.  Originally, it was to honor our first President, George Washington, but over time, it has become a way to celebrate all our former Presidents.  One of my favorite Presidents, George Washington, who sent the first American consul to Kolkata in 1792, had great foresight regarding what President Obama has said is “the defining partnership of the 21st century.” 

President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama at Rajghat.

I also admire President Theodore Roosevelt, whose love for the outdoors resulted in his programs creating numerous national parks, forests and monuments, including the Grand Canyon.  When I read of Minister Ramesh’s efforts to save Indian forests, parks, and tigers, I think of President Roosevelt.   President John F. Kennedy is a favorite of most people from my generation.  Much like what you feel in India today, he brought energy and a feeling of unlimited potential to America in the 1960s. 

President Eisenhower in India

America has been blessed with great Presidents, so it is fitting that we honor them with a national holiday.  Tell me who is your favorite president or prime minister. Why?

Planting a mangrove sapling and learning more about afforestation efforts in the region.

Today I visited the beautiful Sunderbans, approximately three hours in the car traveling southeast from Kolkata, and then another two hour boat journey.  I went with the intention of learning more about how India, Bangladesh, and the United States could work together on tiger conservation issues.  I also wanted to see how climate change and energy technology can help address some of the major challenges facing this region. 

A traditional welcome at Mathurakhand village, Sunderbans.

And maintaining the audacity of hope, and overcoming all the odds, I held out the slight chance of spotting the Bengal tiger living in this extraordinary swamp environment.  We were exceedingly lucky, and glimpsing the orange colors shining in the sun in a tiny opening under the low covered canopy from our boat, we experienced that “piercing of the heart”…a tiger in the wild.  This is a highly unique and ecologically rich place in the world which has no equal.  Maybe this experience will be a precursor to partnership and progress on tiger conservation efforts in the future.

Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Richard Ford inaugurates the 35th Kolkata Book Fair.

I attended the 35th Kolkata Book Fair, and attained two “firsts” for the United States. I am the first U.S. ambassador to travel to this city for the opening day inauguration and show. 

Greeting volunteers at the U.S. Pavilion.

Additionally, America is honored and fortunate to be selected for the first time as the theme country for the fair. 

Visiting the technology hub at the U.S. Pavilion with talented authors Richard and Kristina Ford.

We have sent many of our most talented and recognized authors to this year’s event, including Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Richard Ford, PEN/Hemingway award winner Akhil Sharma, and National Geographic award winning photographer Annie Griffiths.  India and America’s deep respect for the written word, literary freedom, and creative talent is alive and well today!  I am heartened to meet many young people and school children here who are hungry for books and knowledge.  Tell me about some of your favorite authors…”

I paid homage to Rabindranath Tagore at the Tagore Museum during my visit to Kolkata

The work of an embassy is directly enhanced and greatly impacted by the myriad contributions of the consulates.  We are fortunate to have four consulates across India – in Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai, and Chennai.  I have traveled to all four and met with our experienced and skilled Consuls General. 

An example of their great work is Kolkata’s recent success in helping an American company sell two dredgers and a tugboat, which directly created jobs in New Orleans.  Additionally, we have recently contributed resources to help partner with the local Tagore Museum and preserve precious artifacts.  Tell me about your personal experiences with our consulates or with the embassy in Delhi.

Joint Secretary Ministry of External Affairs Gayatri Kumar and I inaugurated the new Consular Section at the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi, September 14, 2009

I have heard from a number of people about difficulty in getting a visa appointment and I share their concern. Reducing wait times for visas is one of our top priorities. The relationship between India and the U.S. is growing and one of the results is an enormous demand for business and personal visas.  We have recently invested $100 million in our consular facilities and expanded our staff by 40 percent.  Over the last two years, we have greatly reduced appointment waiting times at all our posts in India.  Still, here in Delhi, wait times for visas are too long.  I am determined to reduce these wait times and make it easier for our Indian friends to travel to the U.S.   We appreciate your constructive criticism and ideas to improve and be even more responsive in our work. Please send your questions or complaints about visas to nivnd@state.gov.  Hearing from our applicants is the best way for us to improve our service.

Consular staff at Palna, February 26, 2010.

Today I was asked to participate in a country-wide Digital Video Conference with our consulates and officers working in consular operations on a Leadership Skills Workshop. I expressed my gratitude to them for all of their successful work serving as the “face” to our outreach efforts everyday in India on visas and American Citizen Services. They were concentrating on improving their technical skills and communicating with the “next generation” in this young democracy. I reflected later in the day how fortunate I am to have all the highly motivated and deeply committed staff at our embassy and in all our consulates.