On change in diplomacy, S Jaishankar recalls father’s “clever” suggestion

Speaking to students on Saturday, Union External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar stressed on the importance of shaping the world through active participation and urged the youth to engage deeply in global affairs. “We cannot become a spectator, we cannot become an object and a playground for others; we have to become a player too,” Mr Jaishankar said, encouraging students to stay informed about international issues, even if Whatever may be their field of study. ,

Highlighting the accessibility of information today, Mr Jaishankar remarked, “Whether you study international relations or not, you need to be well-informed. The world has come to our homes… the good and the bad When Covid first appeared, who would have thought that two years of our lives would be completely affected by it? Be there to follow what is happening and shape it. We cannot be spectators, we cannot be objects and we must also be a playground for others.” He said it is important to understand diverse perspectives in today’s interconnected society.

Shri Jaishankar also stressed the interdisciplinary essence of diplomacy, underscoring the need for intercultural skills. “Interpersonal and intercultural skills are important, along with foreign language proficiency… allowing us to communicate with the right nuance,” he said.

The External Affairs Minister also shared his journey from academia to diplomacy and recalled how his father guided him to pursue a career in practical international relations.

“I did my Masters in International Relations and at that time my idea was actually to teach. That’s why I did more degrees after my Masters. During this time I gave the UPSC exam. I could have easily joined it.” The academic stream of International Relations, except that my father, who was in the government, urged me very ‘cleverly’: ‘Do you want to study what other people do, or do you want to do something yourself ? Yourself, why don’t you pay attention to practical international relations?’ I always wonder what life would have been like if we hadn’t had that conversation,” he shared.