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In love with India

He came, he chatted and he cleared all the doubts

Photo: C.V. Subrahmanyam

Vice-Consul Christopher Wurst

Imagine a young girl pushing her way to the visa counter after six hours of wait in the hot sun to ask the officer concerned, "Sir, I am good looking with a perfect figure to become a model, can I get a 'model' visa to US?" And further more, the officer after stamping or rejecting hundreds of visas that day, gives a patient hearing to the girl and explains in detail that there are no such visas and also gives certain tips on how to go about it in a different way.

No way buddy, this could only be a dream, one may say, but then it did happen in the city on Wednesday.

The Vice-Consul for Public Affairs of the US Consulate-General (Chennai), Christopher Wurst, was in Vizag to promote the path breaking film on HIV/AIDS, 'A Closer Walk', and answer all sorts of queries that Vizagites had in mind right from the much sought after student 'F' visas to Indo-US relationship and from Hollywood films to the BPO boom.

Christopher, who hails from Minnesota, was a student of creative English and history and had passed his master's from the University of Minnesota. After working as a teacher for a brief period, he joined the Public Affairs Department of the US Government. Before being posted in India he worked in Guatemala and South Africa. He extensively toured Africa and has been actively involved in the awareness campaign on HIV/AIDS.

In Visakhapatnam, apart from screening the film and hosting poster shows on AIDS at various venues, Christopher took some time to talk to THE HINDU Metro Plus, besides chatting on-line with Vizagites from the office of Vizag City Online.

Visa issue

According to him, there is a misconception that the 'F' visas have been tightened post 9/11. "In fact we are now issuing more visas. Today there are over 80,000 Indian students in the US and that is fairly a huge number compared to other countries. We want more Indian students, as that is beneficial to both the countries. One thing people should realise that getting an appointment for visa is more difficult than getting a visa. To make things easier we have opened more counters and have appointed seven more American officers at the Consulate to handle the rush. If the necessary things are as per the requirement then there should be no difficulty at all."

What are the necessary things?

"For 'F' visa the required things are the duly filled-in forms (prescribed), admission letter or correspondence from the university, documents proving that he or she is a bona fide student and language score card (TOEFL score). The prospective student must prove that he or she is physically and mentally fit to undergo the programme. The only thing extra that we have started post 9/11 is the finger printing procedure. For further details on visas, one can visit www.travel.state.gov or http://chennai.usconsulate.gov and for details on education visit www.educationusa.state.

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Indo-US ties

"We are committed to honour the NSSP (Next Step for Strategic Partnership) initiated by the former President, Bill Clinton. We regard India as our strategic partner in this region and we would continue to do so. People might have apprehension that the outsourcing and the BPO boom is a bubble but let me make it clear that it is not so. It has been established that it is beneficial to both countries and so it would continue. I only wish that the volume of business with India should improve over the coming years. In 1980, the business with India was only $2.8 billion while with China it was $5 billion. Today it is $22 billion with India and $231 billion with China. The figures should change in the coming years. I personally feel that apart from India being known as an IT hub it should gear itself to cater for the manufacturing business also like China. It has got all the potential to do so.

"Apart from thinking in terms of doing big IT business with the US smaller businessmen could always explore the possibilities of doing smaller business with US. We are open to such thoughts. For details and guidance on business prospects one can visit http://buyusa.govindia"

The Vice Consul regards the democracy in India as the ultimate form of democracy and freedom for the people. "The democracy over here is complete and great. I am astonished at the freedom of the press. The way they conduct debate over issues is mind-boggling."

Though he has been in this country for less than a year he is in love with the Indian culture, people and food.

"I think this country has got a great culture and heritage. It is not only old but what is most surprising is that people are still holding on to it. I had been to my colleague's village in Tamil Nadu during Pongal and I relished the masala dosas and the bullock-cart race. Me and my wife have become so fond of the masala dosa that when we went back to Minnesota we searched and located a joint that serves that delicacy." A voracious reader he is fond of Indian authors and a great fan of R.K. Narayan.

On HIV/AIDS in India, he said: "It is time that the corporates took up the responsibility of creating awareness on the pandemic and the stigma factor and also build up infrastructure to tackle the disease. Indians are brilliant and I will not be surprised if a vaccine for the disease is invented here."

SUMIT BHATTACHARJEE

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