US diplomats ditch bullet-proof cars for tuk-tuks in New Delhi; Watch

New Delhi: Ditching their bullet-proof vehicles, four US women diplomats took to the streets of the national capital on Wednesday with their ‘personalised auto-rickshaws’ in their ‘out-of-the-box’ diplomacy styles. Ann L Mason, Ruth Holmberg, Jennifer Bywaters and Shareen J Kitterman, in a video that took over the internet, can be seen driving black and pink three-wheelers to work, including official visits.

Diplomat Mason, whose personalized black auto-rickshaw has a Bluetooth device and a curtain printed with an image of a tiger, stated that there is something special about an auto-rickshaw and when she grabbed the opportunity to ride one in India.

ANI quoted Ann Mason as saying, “When I was in Pakistan, before coming to India, I was in armoured vehicles and they were big, beautiful vehicles. But I would always look out on the street and I would see the auto-rickshaws going by and I always wanted to be in the auto-rickshaw.”

She said that the inspiration came from her mother who always took chances as she travelled around the world. Mason said, “She travelled around the world, she was in the Vietnam War and she did so much with her life. Life and she always taught me to do interesting things and take a chance because one you might not get another opportunity and two you never know what you might experience.”

Shareen J Kitterman, who owns a pink auto-rickshaw with flower magnets, said she was inspired by the Mexican Ambassador who also had an auto-rickshaw.

She said, “When I was in the US planning to come to New Delhi, I'd heard about the Mexican Ambassador. Ten years ago, she had an auto and she had a driver. That's when I started thinking about it. When I came here, I saw Ann who had an auto, so when I own an auto, I want to drive it. So, that was my whole goal.”

Additionally, Ruth Holmberg believes diplomacy is not all that high.

She explained, “Diplomacy is people meeting people, people getting to know each other and getting a chance to build relationships and that’s what I can do with the auto.”

(With inputs: ANI)

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