Delhi: Away from home, foreign students display their culture

NEW DELHI: On a sunny afternoon recently, Mengkoang Keav busily put up posters depicting Angkor Wat, people wearing sampot and pictures of Cambodia. As the only foreign student from that country in Delhi University, Keav was keen not to miss the chance to tell others about Cambodia at the university’s international students’ fair.
The convention hall at the vice-chancellor’s office, once the residence of British viceroys, was awash in colour.From a black Tibetan yak staring balefully at visitors and bright Chinese attires and crowns to tea from Vietnam and curiosities from Vietnam, there was much on display to pique curiosity.
Keav, a master’s degree student at Hindu College, said, “I wanted to study the historical relations between India and Cambodia. I have lived for short whiles in different countries, but this is the longest I have been away from home so far.” He is only apprehensive of Delhi’s winter, remarking how back home the mercury does not ever fall below 18 degrees Celsius.
The Cambodian enjoys mixing with students of various nationalities at the university. This year there was an increase of 20% in enrolment of foreign students in DU, and 600 foreigners are currently studying there.
Students from Nepal promoted the “Visit Nepal 2020” campaign at the fair. And while peddling the traditional savoury, selroti, they also presented a dance. “There are many of us from Nepal and we decided to have a dance at the event,” said Mukesh Bhattarai, a first-year BA Programme student.
Their counterparts from Afghanistan and some African countries also performed in the presence of V Muraleedharan, minister of state for external affairs and chief guest at Tuesday’s event.
Nguyen Thi Ngo from the Buddhist Studies department showcased paintings in his native Vietnamese language. “It is wonderful to have such fairs because we get to meet students from different countries,” he said. While students from Tibet exhibited traditional goodies, the Chinese allowed the visitors to try on their traditional attires and crowns and click selfies.
Horia Sidiqi and Tenzin Choesang, the first from Afghanistan, the latter from Tibet and both enrolled in Indraprastha College for Women, put up a joint stall. While Sidiqi gave out brownies to game winners at the stall, Choesang displayed incense sticks typical of her country and wristbands inlaid with semi-precious stones.
Shyama Rath, foreign students’ advisor, took the opportunity to highlight some lacks. “We want to request infrastructure enhancement to solve problems like accommodation,” said Rath.