In a delightful display of leadership and innovation, 19-year-old Nidhi Gautam from Karnataka took on the role of British High Commissioner to India for a day, getting to experience the world of diplomacy.
Organised by the British High Commission as part of the annual 'High Commissioner for a Day' competition, the event celebrates the International Day of the Girl Child (October 11).
Nidhi, currently pursuing a bachelor's degree at Miranda House College of the University of Delhi, had a jam-packed schedule that mirrored the responsibilities of the UK's top diplomat.
Describing the experience as "surreal", Nidhi said her day began with a briefing on the UK-India bilateral relationship and technology initiatives. This was followed by a visit to the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi’s National Centre for Assistive Health Technologies, where she witnessed key innovations such as smart canes and Braille readers that assist the visually impaired.
Nidhi's itinerary also included a meeting with Dr Ajay Mathur, Director General of the International Solar Alliance, where they discussed the potential of solar energy.
Nidhi Gautam, the winning entry chosen from a pool of more than 140 applicants across the country, was ‘High Commissioner for a Day’ on October 1. Applicants for this year’s competition were invited to submit a one-minute video answering the question, ‘How can the UK and India collaborate on technology to benefit future generations?’
A Message of Empowerment
When asked about a teen's take on the push for gender equality, Nidhi told Outlook India that much progress has been made, adding that encouraging women at all levels remains crucial for future leadership.
"I generally think the world is changing and the view of gender equality is also changing. You don't really go earlier... But I think we are adapting to it now, and there are women in, although the proportion is less, but there are women at the entry levels who will eventually take up leadership roles. Yeah. So I think encouraging them to start and thereby embrace it, is the need for gender equality," Nidhi said.
UK High Commissioner Lindy Cameron Recounts Father's Words
Lindy Cameron, the British High Commissioner to India, described her experience of spending the day with Nidhi as equally enriching and as a "brilliant example of the amazing things that Indian women bring to leadership".
"I personally believe really passionately, and I think our government believes too, that, you know, without gender equality, you lose the potential of half the population," Cameron said.
...Woman's empowerment, gender equality is a lot about allowing everybody to live to their full potential... the science is pretty clear. We were talking about science and technology that benefits women, but also where women can then bring, can actually contribute... The evidence is really clear that, girls' education produces benefits for generations to come," the UK High Commissioner told Outlook India.
"Yes, better women's health produces healthier children... actually this isn't just a kind of a principal belief. It's also a belief that produces real outcomes in the world. I've met some amazing Indian women since I've been in this country. And, I have to say I've learned so much from them. So it's a fantastic part of my job," Cameron said in response to a question on her day-to-day engagement with women in India.
When asked what suggestion she would want to give to young women, Lindy Cameron said recalled wisdom passed on to her by her father.
"My father once said to me, believe in yourself and anything is possible. And I really think there's something important, just having the confidence to have the career that you want to believe, in your own ability, but to have a real sense of purpose in life," Cameron said.
"For me, one of the great joys of this job is I'm back doing in many ways the kind of job that I want to do when I first joined the civil service 26 years ago. And that's a job that lets me work overseas but also lets me try and make the world a better place," she added.
"And I think so much of what we saw today was about collaboration between the UK and India, and not only benefiting the UK and India, but actually benefiting the wider world as well," Cameron said.
