Union External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar exhorted students on Saturday to believe in participation in global affairs and shaping the world. “We can’t be spectators or mere objects in the playing field for others; we must be players ourselves,” he said, encouraging students to remain well-informed on global issues irrespective of their stream of study.
Emphasizing how more access to information one has today than in the past, Jaishankar elaborated, “Whether or not you study international relations, being well-informed is essential. The world has come to our homes, which can be beneficial and challenging.
When COVID-19 first emerged, news from a city in China quickly dominated our lives for two years. Therefore, everyone must show interest in what happens worldwide and contribute to the creation of the future.” He said that understanding various outlooks was critical in today’s interconnected world.
Jaishankar highlighted the interdisciplinary nature of diplomacy: “Interpersonal and intercultural skills, along with proficiency in foreign languages, are important for ensuring proper communication.
Reflecting on his personal journey from academia to diplomacy, Jaishankar recalled how his father advised him on a career in applied international relations: “I did a master’s in International Relations with the aim of teaching. It is then that I took the UPSC exam.”.
My father, who worked in the government, laced the question pretty smartly: ‘Do you want to study what others do, or do you want to make an impact yourself?’ That conversation shaped my path toward applied international relations,” he says, reflecting on how different his life might have been had that one discussion never occurred.
