British Deputy High Commissioner to East and North East India Andrew Fleming on his love for Kolkata
He has been to more than 117 countries so far and has watched over 4,000 football matches in over 874 stadiums. That’s Andrew Fleming for you. The British Deputy High Commissioner to East and North East India, loves his football as much as he cherishes art and culture. A die-hard foodie with an inexhaustible appetite for marvels of architecture, Andrew originally joined the British Civil Service in 1986 and has held a wide variety of roles in the UK and abroad. He has lived in Uganda, Ghana and Nigeria for most part of his life, but has worked on international policy issues in many parts of the world that took him to about 117 nations to date. Before arriving to Kolkata on November 8 last year, he served as British Deputy High Commissioner to Andhra Pradesh and Telangana for 5 years, and then as Officer on Special Temporary Duty in Bengaluru before a spending a few months in London where he supported the visit of Indian Vice President, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar for the King’s Coronation
As he completes half a year in Kolkata, we have a hearty chat with Andrew on his stint here so far.
Excerpts.
How are you liking it here in Kolkata?
I’m loving it here. I loved Hyderabad, the first major city in India where I had the privilege to spend a considerable amount of time. I felt very comfortable from the day I got off the plane here in Kolkata. I think it’s a very welcoming place and the whole vibe of the city is extremely different from the one in Hyderabad, though I love Hyderabad too, where I now have many good friends.
I love the people everywhere I go, and I like the people in Kolkata particularly more besides the cultural heritage. Also, the food here is very different from food in the South -- I must have done something good to deserve to be here.
You were actively involved in heritage walks around the city of Hyderabad, How much have you been around in Kolkata?
If you go to an old city, like Hyderabad, every door you open, opens up another world of discovery, there are so many exploratory opportunities around every corner. I find Kolkata very much like my own city London, I’m again living in a similar kind of city where the more you look around, the more it opens up to you and I love that.
Certain buildings in Kolkata remind me of certain parts of my own country in London, Manchester, and Liverpool, where we have a lot of grand buildings. Besides, Kolkata also has a mix of other architectural history like there are Armenian and Greek churches and lots of places drawing influence from other parts of Europe. I love these feudal mansions (Rajbari) in North Kolkata and I have just begun to discover them one by one.
You’re a foodie too. How do you find Bengali cuisine and Kolkata food?
I haven’t yet eaten lots of street food but some of the Bengali dinners I have been to, I loved the fish, it’s definitely the freshest and best that I have enjoyed so far in India. I often used to go to Vishakhapatnam and coastal food was my favourite, though none of my colleagues could eat it, I actually savoured the same. Here it’s actually a bit of a climb down, it’s not so spicy but the predominance of mustard seeds in every other dish is taking a little bit of getting used to it. Mustard seems to be creeping in almost every dish here, but it’s nice -- I now like my fish fries with a bit of mustard sauce. Also, I have tasted a few thalis in offbeat places like Sunderbans among other places and they taste incredibly delicious.
You’ve been around 117 countries, which ones have left a mark on you?
Some countries that had the most indelible effects on me include Uganda, Ghana, Nigeria and India, since I lived the longest there and the more you live in a place the more you give to the place and the more you get back from the place.
I also loved Guatemala, Japan, Bolivia and South America. South Korea remains special because it’s where I proposed to my wife, who is a Vietnamese, and also Vietnam is close to my heart because I originally met her there.
Do you miss England?
I don’t really miss England – I miss bits and pieces about England. My father is in his 93rd year, and of course, I miss him. I also miss watching my football team Millwall in Southeast London, where I grew up. I miss going to those games. I watch football here too but I can’t have the same passion I have for my home team. I also miss drinking Indian pale ale in England, where you have so many varieties. Here, I prefer gin and tonic.
You are an avid football lover. Who’s your favourite team and player? Have you watched football here in Bengal?
I support Scotland since I am half Scottish and half English and my favourite football club is Millwall.
I have watched all the three local clubs – Mohun Bagan, East Bengal and Mohammedan Sporting Club – in action and I feel both football and cricket are big here.
What are the plans for North and North East, you cover 13 states and one Union Territory in this region…
I’m hoping we can do more to project the offer and opportunities in the states that we cover from here to the UK market. I don’t think that people in my country know and understand that much about the East and Northeast than the rest of India. If you are thinking of coming to India to do business, depending on your sector, you would be looking at Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and then maybe Hyderabad also, and possibly in some cases Gujarat and parts of Punjab because we have a lot of diasporic connection with these two particular states. But we want to look at how we can change it for the better and how people can be educated more about what the region can offer. I cover 13 states and the Andamans and it’s a huge region with huge potential and opportunities.