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By:

Naresh Kamath

5 November 2024 at 5:30:38 am

Indian Tourists Need a Reputation Reset

India has long taken pride in the philosophy of ‘Atithi Devo Bhava’ - the belief that guests deserve warmth, respect and dignity. It is an idea deeply woven into the country’s cultural imagination, often been projected as a defining Indian value. As millions of Indians travel overseas every year, the conduct of a small but highly visible section of Indian tourists is increasingly shaping how India itself is perceived abroad. The issue is not about a single incident or a handful of viral...

Indian Tourists Need a Reputation Reset

India has long taken pride in the philosophy of ‘Atithi Devo Bhava’ - the belief that guests deserve warmth, respect and dignity. It is an idea deeply woven into the country’s cultural imagination, often been projected as a defining Indian value. As millions of Indians travel overseas every year, the conduct of a small but highly visible section of Indian tourists is increasingly shaping how India itself is perceived abroad. The issue is not about a single incident or a handful of viral videos but a pattern that is drawing notice from hotels, tourism operators and local authorities across the world. The debate gained fresh momentum after reports emerged of a Swiss hotel issuing a notice specifically addressed to Indian guests. The advisory reportedly requested guests not to pack food from breakfast buffets for later consumption and reminded them to maintain silence in corridors and balconies. Hotels routinely issue guidelines. But when a particular nationality becomes the subject of a specific advisory, it inevitably raises larger questions about perception. “It is a sorry state of affairs. Indians, especially in groups, are displaying atrocious behaviour. This was anyway bound to happen,” says Subhash Motwani, founder of Namaste Tourism. Embarrassing Incidents Whether the notice was justified is another separate matter. The question is why such perceptions are emerging in the first place. Recent months have seen several incidents involving Indian tourists gain traction on social media. One widely circulated video showed travellers performing garba on an airport tarmac in Vietnam. Garba is among India’s most vibrant cultural traditions and a source of immense pride for millions. Yet airports are highly regulated spaces where safety protocols and discipline take precedence over celebration. The incident became symbolic of a larger problem. The rise of social media has encouraged some travellers to treat foreign destinations as stages for content creation. Public dancing, loud celebrations, disruptive behaviour and attention-seeking stunts may generate views and engagement online, but they can also leave lasting impressions on locals and fellow tourists. India is hardly the first country to confront such a challenge. During the 1950s and 1960s, American tourists acquired a reputation for arrogance abroad, giving rise to the phrase “Ugly American.” Britain spent decades dealing with the international embarrassment caused by football hooliganism. China faced similar concerns as outbound tourism surged during the early years of the twenty-first century. A nation’s image is shaped not just by its economic achievements and diplomatic influence but also by the behaviour of its citizens overseas. India today finds itself in a similar situation. Indian tourists are now among the most visible traveller groups across Europe, Southeast Asia and the Middle East. This is, in many ways, a remarkable success story. However, with visibility comes responsibility. Hospitality professionals across destinations frequently point to recurring concerns. Excessive noise, queue-jumping, disregard for local regulations, overcrowding hotel rooms and attempts to bypass established rules through jugaad are among the complaints often cited. Collectively, repeated experiences can create lasting perceptions. The most revealing aspect of the debate is that Indian travellers often display exemplary discipline in countries known for strict law enforcement. In destinations such as Singapore, the UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, compliance with rules is generally high. Complaints tend to emerge more frequently in places perceived as relaxed or lenient. That suggests the challenge is not one of awareness. Most travellers understand the rules perfectly well. The problem is often a mindset that rules can be negotiated when consequences appear unlikely. Changing that mindset is far more important than introducing additional regulations or issuing fresh advisories. Every interaction at an airport, hotel, restaurant, tourist attraction or public transport system contributes to how a country is viewed. These everyday encounters often shape perceptions more powerfully than government campaigns or tourism advertisements. As India stakes its claim to a larger role in the world, its citizens must recognise that national prestige is shaped not only by economic achievements and diplomatic successes, but also by everyday behaviour abroad. The overwhelming majority of Indian tourists travel responsibly and leave behind positive impressions. Their conduct rarely becomes news because courtesy seldom goes viral. Yet a handful of highly visible incidents can overshadow thousands of positive experiences. The challenge is to encourage responsible travel and a greater awareness that behaviour abroad carries consequences beyond the individual. The conduct of Indian citizens overseas should reflect the confidence and values of a nation seeking not merely recognition but enduring respect. (The writer is a senior journalist based in Mumbai. Views personal.)

Born of Three: A New Frontier in Fertility

Scientists have achieved a breakthrough in IVF by using DNA from three individuals—a step that could eliminate certain inherited disorders.

In a major leap for reproductive medicine, researchers have successfully used DNA from three individuals to create healthy babies through In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF), opening up new possibilities for preventing inherited genetic disorders. Eight babies have been born in the UK using this technique, which remains in its early stages but is already being hailed as a potential game-changer in the field of fertility treatment.


This cutting-edge process—medically known as Mitochondrial Donation Treatment (MDT)—works by replacing faulty mitochondria in a mother’s egg with healthy ones from a female donor. It’s a highly targeted intervention that still allows the baby to inherit the nuclear DNA from its biological parents, while receiving only the mitochondrial DNA (a tiny fraction of genetic material) from the donor.


Until now, IVF procedures typically involved just the egg and sperm of the intending parents. However, this new approach enables scientists to eliminate serious mitochondrial defects, often responsible for life-threatening genetic diseases passed from mother to child.


How the Procedure Works

There are two primary forms of MDT:

1. Maternal Spindle Transfer (MST): The mother's genetic material is extracted and inserted into a donor egg containing healthy mitochondria but no nuclear DNA. The resulting egg is then fertilised with the father's sperm.


2. Pronuclear Transfer (PNT): The mother's and the donor's eggs are fertilised with the father's sperm. Then, the nuclear material from the donor's fertilised egg is removed and replaced with the nuclear material from the mother’s fertilised egg.


In both methods, the baby effectively has DNA from three people—mother, father, and the female donor—but the donor contributes only the mitochondrial DNA, which makes up less than 1% of total genetic material.


Why This Matters

Mitochondrial diseases are often passed down maternally and can lead to severe neurological and muscular disorders in children. Such illnesses occur in roughly one out of every 5,000–6,000 births and currently have no cure. With MDT, doctors may now be able to prevent such disorders at the embryonic stage, offering new hope to families with a history of genetic illnesses.


The UK’s Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA)—a leading regulatory body in Europe—has officially confirmed the success of these births. Experts believe the technology could be a beacon of hope for high-risk families, going far beyond traditional IVF by actively preventing inherited conditions.

 

Despite its promise, mitochondrial donation raises several ethical and legal questions. Since it involves direct genetic intervention in human embryos, some critics caution that the long-term effects are still unknown. The eight babies born so far are under medical observation to study any possible future implications.


Moreover, while the UK has established a legal framework for this technique, many countries—including India—still lack clear regulatory guidelines. The procedure is also considered highly expensive and remains inaccessible to most people.


What are mitochondria?

Mitochondria are tiny organelles within human cells responsible for generating energy. Defects in mitochondrial DNA can lead to serious health conditions, particularly affecting the brain, heart, and muscles.


Though still at an experimental stage, the successful use of three-person DNA IVF marks a new chapter in the field of reproductive science. As research progresses and ethical frameworks evolve, the technique may pave the way for a future where hereditary diseases no longer determine the fate of generations.

(The writer is a senior journalist based in Kolhapur.)

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