Speeches and Remarks 2006

A Year in Mumbai
Statement by U.S. Consul General Michael S. Owen to Hindustan Times
on occasion of one year in Mumbai
July 15, 2006

My family and I arrived in Mumbai last August, and we’ve had a fascinating – and fast-paced – year. 

One of my first and strongest impressions of Mumbai is its incredible diversity.  Within walking distance of my residence I can pass by a Hindu temple, a Jain temple, a mosque, a Christian church, and the Parsi Tower of Silence, and not much farther away you find a Buddhist temple and Sikh Gurudwara.  I can’t think of many other cities in the entire world where you could find that.  Likewise, Mumbai has people from literally every corner of India and many corners of the world, people with an astonishing range of educational and professional backgrounds.  I find meeting and interacting with such a broad range of people very exhilarating, and that is one of my favorite aspects of life in Mumbai. 

The pace of life in Mumbai can be quite frenetic, but that also makes the city exciting.  Every day there are countless opportunities to meet interesting people, see talented performers or visit terrific art exhibitions, so I’ve had to learn to pace myself to avoid overload.  I’ve really enjoyed discovering Indian fiction and poetry, so I try to carve out time for reading as well.  Because of the high level of interest in India among Americans at the present time, we received an unprecedented number of visitors in the past year, including members of our Congress, business delegations, and senior Government officials.  It was fun introducing these visitors to Mumbai and western India even while I was still learning my way around as well. 

Because I am responsible for covering all of Western India, I have the opportunity to travel quite a lot, which I enjoy.  I think its really critical to get out of Mumbai and see life in the villages and the countryside to get the full flavor of India.  I’ve also had the chance to see some of India’s remarkable heritage sites, such as the caves at Ellora and Ajanta, the stupa at Sanchii, and the ruins at Champaner, and these also have greatly shaped my understanding of India. 

When I think back on my experience of my first year here, I linger especially on some things that are truly unique to Mumbai: observing the Ganesh Immersion at Chowpatty beach, watching the dhabbawallas delivering their wares at lunchtime around Churchgate, even listening to the early morning laughter therapy in the park behind our residence.  These are special memories I will carry with me long after I depart Mumbai. 

I read somewhere that a recent poll found Mumbai to be the rudest city in the world, but this is not at all consistent with the Mumbai I have come to know in the past year.  I am continually struck by the wonderful way in which Mumbaikers reach out to help one another in times of trouble, such as the recent floods or the terrible train bombings.  I really admire the resilience and can-do attitude of the people of Mumbai.  My family and I have met wonderful people here, and we look forward to two more enjoyable years.