“…India will never leave me”: Former Netherlands envoy bids farewell
Jul 31, 2023
New Delhi [India], July 31 : Martin van den Berg, the Ambassador of the Netherlands to India, on Monday bid farewell to New Delhi and all his memories attached to the place, as his tenure as the envoy ended.
In his post ‘Farewell but not farewell’, the former envoy elaborated upon his experience ever since he was appointed as the Ambassador to India, Nepal and Bhutan.
He noted the growing India-Netherlands ties in the direction of technology, innovation and working on societal challenges.
“For 5 years we could observe the potential of India with its young workforce, the paradoxes that continue to define and shape India, and the challenges in a country with 1.4 billion people. An increasing confident India. An increasingly engaging India with Europe and the Netherlands. Stronger ties between India and the Netherlands. A relationship more and more based on technology, innovation and working on societal challenges in water, health, agriculture and climate. An India finding its own way to grow and to develop in a struggling world,” Berg stated in his post.
He also mentioned the Indian diversity ranging from Ladakh to Kerala, from Rajasthan to West Bengal, and other elements like food, temples and Bollywood movies.
“We experienced the colours, the diversity, the food. We have read astonishing and wonderful Indian novels and watched amazing Bollywood movies with moving portraits of women, homeless people, farmers, heroes, informal workers and Indian families. We travelled with our children to beautiful places, from Ladakh to Kerala, from Rajasthan to West Bengal. We have seen glaciers, canyons, beaches, forests. We have seen elephants, rhinoceros, colourful birds. We have seen incredible temples, houses, forts,” he added.
The former envoy further remembered the friends and colleagues with whom he spent his time during his tenure in India.
“Above all, we made wonderful friends, worked together with great colleagues and re-connected with our family. Experiencing the warmth and the love of so many Indian people. They taught us how to navigate India. Even after 5 years, we only partially succeeded. 5 Years ago I never expected to leave India alone, my wife passed away a few months ago. But I leave India with beautiful memories. Thank you, India for treating us very well,” he further stated.
“I will leave India but India will never leave me,” Martin van der Berg concluded his post.
