An indelible stamp
Our Guest Editor H E Anil Wadhwa surprised us with his hands-on approach and quick-wit understanding of the editorial process

Since H E Anil Wadhwa, Ambassador of India to the Sultanate of Oman agreed to be the Guest Editor of OER’s June issue, the excitement in our office kept going up steadily. As the date of his visit to UMS drew closer, the buzz reached a crescendo. While Sandeep Sehgal, CEO and Alpana Roy, Executive Vice President, UMS welcomed him, the editorial team huddled in the conference room with bated breath.

Once he donned the Editor’s hat, the role came to him almost naturally -- grilling reporters on ideas, picking holes in articles, giving designers a primer on the finer elements of design and contributing his views on various issues. In the India Tourism article he suggested that we use a picture of Taj Garden retreat Kumarakom and with labour laws in the region going through an evolutionary process, he wanted us to cover them in greater detail. Talking about renewable energy, he spoke about the interest shown by Indian companies like Suzlon Energy, a world leader in wind power in Oman. He expected things to materialise once regulations become clearer. He shared the Indian government’s plans about promoting tourism in Oman. “Medical tourism has been identified as a focus area and we will be setting up a research and referral facility for Omanis in Oman,” said H E Wadhwa.

When the editorial team tried to turn the tables on him by throwing some uncomfortable questions, he surprised us with his candid response. Asked about whether his numerous public appearances were a vanity trip or a calibrated effort towards a larger goal? He replied, “It raises India’s profile, helps us in business and gives an enhanced reach to the Embassy. The question then arises whether one should be choosy or be more forthcoming. It comes down to whether one has other commitments, and in my case I have no other commitments except for my work and that is what I do. One has a choice of staying within the confines of the Embassy and one could easily pass three years without being noticed.” From vetting the content plan to executing stories, H E Wadhwa got involved in every aspect of bringing out the June issue of OER. As we bid adieu to him from UMS, one got the feeling that when it comes to work there are no half measures for HE Wadhwa. Thank you Your Excellency.
 

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