In this week’s episode of Go Borderless, I’m joined by Rahul Shrivastava, High Commissioner of India to Namibia, whose diplomatic career spans six foreign assignments across four continents. From Moscow to Caracas, Bucharest to Windhoek, Rahul has lived the reality of representing India while navigating life in unfamiliar systems—and often under pressure.
What struck me most during our conversation wasn’t just the scope of his experience, but the quiet resilience behind it. We talked about:
– The emotional weight of moving every few years
– How diplomats adapt quickly to foreign systems and cultures
– The evacuation of 8,500 Indian nationals during the Ukraine crisis
– The nuances of moving with family—and, in his case, eventually without
– The evolving role of technology in diplomacy and relocation
– Losing a beloved pet during a relocation, and the grief that followed
Rahul offers a deeply human view of global diplomacy—one that moves beyond protocol and into connection, service, and humility. Whether you're in the foreign service, part of a globally mobile family, or simply navigating international life, this episode offers something rare: perspective from someone who’s done it all, repeatedly, with grace.
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Links to explore Rahul’s work:
📚 Books by Rahul
🖋 Quora essays
🎨 His oil paintings on Flickr
📸 @life.in.diplomacy on Instagram
Thank you for listening—and for being part of the Go Borderless community.
— Mari
