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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.)

Delhi Chokes as Science Stands Back

A nation aspiring to scientific leadership cannot afford a capital city where breathing becomes dangerous for weeks at a time.

Each winter, Delhi descends into a familiar haze so thick that even routine life slows down. Flights are delayed, highways are shrouded in grey, hospitals record a spike in respiratory cases, and millions of citizens breathe air that would be classified as hazardous anywhere in the world. For more than a decade, this pattern has repeated itself with the regularity of a season. It is not an accident or a natural calamity. What makes this crisis particularly troubling is not only the scale of pollution, but the silence of the very community that understands it best: India’s scientists.


Well Established

The factors that create Delhi’s winter smog are well established. Crop-residue burning in Punjab and Haryana releases massive amounts of particulate matter into the atmosphere. Delhi’s vehicles, numbering over 1.3 crore, add nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, and ultrafine particles. Industrial emissions, construction dust, waste burning, diesel generators, and stagnant winter winds seal the toxic mix over the region. The science behind this is straightforward. Data is abundant. Despite this clarity, the crisis persists year after year.


What makes this situation particularly ironic is India’s scientific capability. The same country that can reach the lunar south pole, develop world-class vaccines in record time, and build nanomaterials atom by atom seems unable to control air pollution in its capital. The problem is not a lack of knowledge or expertise. It is the lack of a sustained, science-driven response and the absence of a strong collective voice from the scientific community demanding one.


India already has technological solutions. Satellite-based fire detection systems can pinpoint stubble burning almost in real time. Bio-decomposer technologies, pelletisation units, and farm mechanisation offer alternatives to residue burning. Urban transport experts have long advocated for better public transport, electrified mobility, parking reforms, and congestion management. Environmental engineers have created dust-control guidelines, cleaner construction practices, and urban designs that allow better air circulation. Meteorologists can forecast smog events days ahead. Medical scientists can clearly explain the health impacts of particulate pollution.


Muted Voices

In private conversations, many scientists express deep frustration. They know that India is not short on expertise but short on follow-through. They believe the crisis is less about science and more about fragmented governance, political vacillation and lack of sustained enforcement. They recognise that emergency responses, odd even schemes, short-term bans, school closures, are signs of panic, not strategy. But most hesitate to speak publicly. Some fear being misunderstood as political. Others feel environmental issues do not fall squarely within their discipline.


Delhi’s air pollution is a public health crisis, not merely an environmental issue. Several international studies estimate that air pollution contributes to more than a million premature deaths annually in India. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) enters deep into the lungs, enters the bloodstream, and increases the risk of asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart attacks, strokes, diabetes, adverse pregnancy outcomes, and impaired brain development. The health impacts on children are especially alarming. A child exposed to Delhi’s pollution for several winters may never achieve normal lung capacity. This is not an abstract statistic; it is a lifelong burden.


The economic cost is severe as well. Lost productivity, increased hospital visits, long-term healthcare needs, and reduced quality of life together impose a large financial strain. Delhi’s smog also damages India’s global image. A nation aspiring to scientific leadership cannot afford a capital city where breathing becomes dangerous for weeks at a time.


History shows that severe air pollution is reversible when scientific thinking guides policy. After the Great Smog of 1952, London passed strong Clean Air Acts that changed fuel patterns. Los Angeles invested in emission standards, cleaner fuels, and monitoring networks over decades. China launched aggressive air-quality action plans beginning in 2013 and achieved dramatic reductions in PM2.5 levels in major cities. These examples prove an important point: atmospheric chemistry may be complex, but air pollution is ultimately a governance challenge. When evidence informs action, results follow.


What, then, is the role of India’s scientific community? Scientists do not need to become activists or enter politics. But they must speak clearly and collectively. They must frame Delhi’s smog as a national challenge, not a seasonal nuisance. They can demand reliable, independent air-quality monitoring and public reporting. They can highlight why fragmented interventions fail and why coordinated, year-round action is essential. Some argue that governance is not a scientist’s responsibility, but this misses the modern role of science.


In a knowledge-based society, science is not only about discoveries; it also guides public reasoning. When scientists fall silent, policy is driven by impulse rather than evidence. When they speak collectively and clearly, they correct misconceptions, add discipline to debate, and strengthen public demand for long-term solutions.


Delhi’s smog persists because it has been normalised. People expect to suffer in November and December. Governments expect criticism. Scientists expect to be consulted only in closed rooms. Citizens expect no real change. This quiet acceptance is perhaps the most dangerous aspect of the crisis. When society adapts to a problem that should never be accepted, meaningful action becomes harder.


India is moving rapidly toward a future defined by climate adaptation, sustainability, and technological leadership. A country that positions itself as a science-led economy cannot allow its capital to become unliveable for a season every year. The health of millions, the productivity of the workforce and the credibility of the nation’s scientific aspirations all depend on sustained action.


Scientists cannot solve Delhi’s smog alone, but they can no longer remain silent. The health consequences are documented. The solutions are known. What India needs now is a stronger scientific voice, firm, evidence-based, and unwavering.


(The author is the former Director, Agharkar Research Institute, Pune; Visiting Professor, IIT Bombay. Views personal.)

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