Bicycle Diaries: In conversation with Australian Consul General in Bengaluru, Hilary McGeachy

Diplomats in a city often get treated like celebrities and in their own circles they truly deserve to be, but beyond and above their political duties, they often take a lot of effort to blend in to their new temporary homes and contribute and learn as much as they can of local culture, practices and life. Australian Consul General in Bengaluru, Hilary McGeachy is no different. She loves a masala dosé as much as any local and knows the bylanes of the Central Business District (CBD)  as well as any autorickshaw driver, all thanks to her love for cycling. We catch up with her for a quick conversation around her love for cycling, her life in the city, what her role entails and so much more…

You’ve just completed two years in Bengaluru, what do you think of the city, so far?

I really enjoy living in Bengaluru. I enjoy this city because it is diverse, it is cosmopolitan and I’ve found it be very welcoming. We’re a relatively new consulate here and for my team and I, we’ve found it to be a very friendly city.

We know you are an avid cyclist, do tell us about the lifestyle?

I think, it’s who you are and how you live your life. Whatever I did, I would always enjoy the outdoors. When I was a child, my parents used to take us cycling around the neighbourhood. When I was at university, a bicycle was all I had to get around, so, it was very practical. I find, it’s a great way to explore places. Cycling is very enjoyable. I think that it also helps me be better at my job.

Cycling is often a gateway to discovering new communities. Have you connected with any of the local cycling groups?

I think cycling in Bengaluru is very inclusive. Whatever bike you ride, whatever clothes you ride in, I find that everyone is very welcoming. There’s one group here in particular called Pedal in Tandem. I’ve done few tours with them and they’re fabulous.

Do you see cycling as having diplomatic value?

I do and I’ve got one specific example in Bengaluru and then one broader one. The specific one is, each year around the time of the BTS (Bengaluru Tech Summit), a few of the foreign missions come together — Switzerland, Denmark, Netherlands and Australia — to do an early morning bike ride. We call it the Tour de Tech and it is to demonstrate cycling sustainability. There’s also the bigger point about sport and Australia, since we have a sporting identity. We’ve got sport universities, sport tech and sport management. Australia and India are now looking at how we can do more on sport together, beyond the cricket field.

What message would you like to share about the role of cycling in building healthier and more sustainable cities?

Personally, cycling means I understand and appreciate wherever I live more; and if I appreciate where I live, I think more about it. At a personal level, it helps ground me in my location and makes me more considerate. Also people who have the opportunity to cycle have better health generally. Cycling for me is one part of a broader sustainability story. So, we co-operate in Bengaluru with some researchers that look at water reservoir management. We’ve got a partnership between some researchers looking at forest fires. We also try and address the broader question of how do we live and work in our cities and what can we do to improve them.

Finally, what does a typical day look like for you as a Consul General?

A work day is about advancing Australia’s relationship in the states of Karnataka and Telangana. Mostly economic focused — where we see opportunities are in clean energy, space and defence, education, tourism; and agribusiness. All of those drive a lot of the work we do. But we also look at cultural ties, environmental issues, issues of inclusivity and support Australians who find themselves in difficulty; as we always have a consular responsibility.

Email: romal@newindianexpress.com

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