“From the cerebral to the creaturely, it was day so full of new experiences that it would live fresh in our minds for months to come.”
What you find is what you seek! Or what you seek is what you find? Probably, both the truisms proved equally true in the educational tour we, the students of M.A Political Science of LPu, made to Chandigarh on 21st April 2016.
We received a warm welcome from the office bearers at the Capitol Complex including the Consul General himself. The session started with an introductory address by Mr. Christopher Gibbins, Consul General, High Commission of Canada, who explained the role and functions of embassies/high commissions, Consulate Generals and the details of Canadian diplomatic representation in various parts of India. The Consul General’s address was followed by presentations by Consul Ms. Zorida Bacchus, Consul Mr. Yohan Rodericks and Mr Gurbans Sobti, the senior trade commissioner, covering an array of themes including migration, the role of Canadian High Commission and the recent trends in Indo Canadian trade relations. The programme ended with an edifying question and answer session with the Consul General of Canada.
Tourist Information Centre, Chandigarh, conducted a guided tour for us to the Capitol Complex where we got a chance to appreciate Le Carbusier’s grand architectural designs of the shared high court, legislative assembly and Secretariat buildings of Punjab and Haryana Government. We also went inside the Punjab Assembly, where we got to learn about the basic protocols and process of law making.In the evening, we also visited the Rock Garden in Chandigarh which was a pleasant surprise and a sight to cure every last vestige of fatigue we felt.
We had started the day on an adrenaline rush. The thrill of an outing together, the anticipation of meeting important people and experiencing the high culture of politics and diplomacy had us giddy as school children. The evening saw us quiet and contemplative. From the cerebral to the creaturely, it was day so full of new experiences that it would live fresh in our minds for months to come.
