Envoy in love with the world of India

Seema Kaul

There’s no concept of “enough” in Jorge Roza de Oliveira’s worldview — actually, India view. The outgoing ambassador of Portugal had learnt how to read and write in Hindi while preparing for his tenure, which began in February of 2011. Almost five years later, his affinity for all things Indian remains as intense. “The Hindi word bas (enough),” he points out, “is similar to basta (enough in Portuguese).” He can’t have enough of the country.

His day would kickstart with Surya Namaskars; it is something he intends to continue even after he leaves the Indian shores for his next assignment in Mexico.

Yoga and visits to the Hanuman Mandir in Connaught Place had become part of his routine during his tenure. He learnt yoga from a friend in Delhi and he and his wife Maria do their yoga asanas every morning.

“There was no moment of surprise for me,” explains Oliveira, who has several Indian friends in Portugal. And that’s because of his familiarity with the country. His first visit was to Delhi in 2007 as adviser to the then Portuguese Prime Minister Jose Socrates. He then followed it up with a vacation to Varanasi in 2008 and 2010. Drawn by the colour and culture of the subcontinent, he requested a posting here.

“India is a very photogenic country and Indians love being photographed,” says Oliveira, recalling a memorable snap taken by Maria on the ghats in Varanasi when a bunch of excited locals hopped into the frame with him.

Their sons Richard and Edward spend a few months in Goa every year. Richard is a photographer and Royal Enfield enthusiast and travels across India taking pictures. The youngest son, George, would come to India during breaks from college in Portugal.

The ambassador loves butter chicken and has been a regular at Karim’s in Old Delhi. “You know the Portuguese brought tomato, potato and chilli to India... and the interesting thing is that the chilli came from Mexico,” says Oliveira, adding that samosas are a popular snack available at Lisbon cafes.

On the Portuguese influence — which for most Indians is reflected in Goan traditions and cuisine, if they take the time out to experience it away from the pull of the beaches — he says, “You’re presenting the country and presenting the wine.” Oliveira has organised several wine-tasting sessions during his stay here. Football match screenings also attracted a lot of Indians to the Portuguese embassy.

A map of India with bright orange stickers highlights the places he has visited in India. Srinagar, Pahalgam, Lucknow, Varanasi, Mumbai, Goa, Nashik, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Puducherry, Cochin, Thiruvananthapuram, Patna and Nalanda are all marked on the map.  

Since he has a working knowledge of Hindi, he enjoys watching Bollywood movies. A Tamil and a Bengali film have already been filmed in Portugal and Oliveira hopes that a Bollywood film will also be shot in his home country. “Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara did a lot for Spanish tourism. Visa applications shot up soon after the release of that film,” he says, adding that Bollywood film locations attract Indians from across the world.

On his frequent travels across India, he says domestic flights are good and mostly on time. Appreciating the improvement in road connectivity, he says Indians love to travel within the country and abroad. “I have always felt very safe here,” he adds. The Portuguese architecture of Kolkata fascinated him, even as he  holidayed in the backwaters of Kerala and visited the camel fair at Pushkar in Rajasthan.     

“I have seen enough of India to make me feel happy and satisfied. I will be leaving a piece of my heart in India and there will be a valley of tears on my last day here,” he says, while appreciating the cordial cultural and political ties between India and Portugal.

Goa, Daman and Diu, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli were Portuguese colonies when India achieved Independence in 1947. There was a strain in India-Portuguese relations when these regions became part of the Indian union in the early 1960s. Diplomatic ties between India and Portugal resumed in 1974 and have remained cordial since then.    

Economic relations between India and Portugal, however, have been below expectations, he says, pointing out how the Euro financial crisis hit Portugal in 2011. “Before the crisis hit, nearly a hundred Portuguese companies were keen on doing business with India. But the worst storms have passed and there are tremendous possibilities for greater business cooperation between India and Portugal. Infrastructure, waste management, water management and alternative energy, specifically wind and solar energy, are sectors where Portugal can assist India.”        

Though Oliveira will miss being in India, he is equally excited about his next assignment in Mexico. He intends to return to India on vacation to explore regions that he has been unable to visit so far, “like the heart of India”.

“Bas,” as he says, is similar to “basta”. He can never get enough of India.

“Phir milenge... zarur” (we will certainly meet again) is his farewell message to a country which has been a second home to him for half a decade.

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