Lunch with Kolkata's diplomats

With Damien Syed, Consul General of France in Kolkata, Reinhold Krickl, Deputy Consul General of Germany in Kolkata and Daimiano Francovigh, Consul General of Italy in Kolkata

March 6, 2016: On Friday (March 4) afternoon I hosted a lunch at the Taj Bengal for few of the diplomats in Kolkata.

I invited the Consul General of Unites States of America in Kolkata, Craig Hall, Consul General of France, Daimen Syed, Deputy Consul General of Germany, Reinhold Krickl, Consul General of Italy, Damiano Francovigh, Vice Consul & Director of Russian Centre of Science & Culture, Yury V Dubovoy, his wife Daria and my friend from Bhutan Ashi Khendum Dorji and two of her Bhutanese friends.

With musician Kathy Park, Mrs Meeryung Hall and Craig Hall, US Consul General in Kolkata

Actually my meeting with Mr Craig Hall was long due since he became the Consul General of USA in Kolkata. I was, for the most part, out of city and while I was in city, he was out travelling. It was good to meet his wife Meeryung Hall who is a musician. It was also a pleasure to meet another musician and pianist, Cathy Park, who was visiting Kolkata from South Korea. Quite a few others also joined the diplomatic fraternity here while I was out.

With Reinhold Krickl, Deputy Consul General of Germany in Kolkata

So I decided to host this lunch to meet and greet the new consuls. It was nice of them to accept my invitation.

On Friday evening I went to attend the wedding of a journalist friend and a film director at the DKS Banquets. The director's last film has broken all records in Bengali cinema.

With Yuri V Dubovoy, Vice Consul and Director of Russian Centre for Science & Culture in Kolkata and his wife Daria

I was very busy on Saturday and I missed Gulab Bari, the annual musical soiree of Madhu and Harsh Neotia. My hectic routine continued till today (Sunday) and I started the day by attending the Times of India's Happy Street function.

I accepted the request of Bawalia Group and went there while they were performing at the Happy Streets. This was my first visit. Earlier I had been to the Rahagiri event by Times of India in Gurgaon. Happy Streets is a Times of India initiative in association with the Kolkata Police. I feel that every city must introduce this concept which is quite simple in the sense the people, early risers, fitness buffs and so on take to the streets, which is off traffic, to play, act, sing, cycle, dance and make merry.

At the Happy Streets event in Kolkata

After Happy Streets at 8 am, I made a trip to Dakhineshwar and in the evening I did a book reading at the Spritual Literary Fest. After the book reading session I went to The Oberoi Grand for a function and then from there to the Tollygunge Club to attend a reception.

Tomorrow noon I shall fly out to Jaipur.

ess bee