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Sakina Hussain
Phu Ben, Vietnam
T
o truly understand a person’s being, it is very
important to go back to the roots. It was with this
thought in mind that the Delegation from Vietnam
set out on a ten-day journey with Syed Nishat Hussain of
Phu Ben Tea Company. While Phu Ben is situated in the
sleepy hamlet of Thanh Ba Town, its current management
constitutes primarily of Indians. Taking a group of
Vietnamese delegates on a colourful tour of India was
therefore a vital exercise in strengthening Indo-Vietnam
ties, a philosophy that Phu Ben Tea stands by. With 99 %
of Phu Ben’s workforce being Vietnamese, the operations
have always been an eclectic mix of cultural diversity.
Mr Hoang Dan Mac, Party Secretary of Phu Tho Province,
and eight other Ministers began their journey through
Incredible India on 23 January 2015. Where better to start
the journey than at the heart of the nation, New Delhi?
The exciting yet educational adventure began early the next
day with the delegation heading to Sulabh Bhawan, where
Indian philanthropist and social entrepreneur, Dr Bindeshwar
Pathak, greeted them. Dr Pathak has dedicated his life to
working for the upliftment of the sadly called “backward
classes”, mostly employed as sanitation workers. The group
visited the Sulabh health centre, biogas plant and kitchen,
public school, vocational training centre, Technology Park
and even the toilet museum! The delegation then got a sense
of being ‘home away from home’ at a meeting and dinner held
in the Embassy of Vietnam in India.
The group embarked on their journey to the holy land of
Bodh Gaya the next morning, stopping along the way for
lunch at Nishat’s ancestral village, Alinagar Pali. Seeing
hundreds of villagers who have never stepped out of their
small and cozy community react with delight at meeting the
“out-of-towners”was quite a sight!The delegation was treated
to a feast of local cuisine, complete with chopsticks et al!
“
We travel, initially, to lose ourselves; and we travel next to find ourselves. We travel to open our
hearts and eyes and learn more about the world than our newspaper will accommodate. We travel
to bring what little we can in our ignorance and knowledge, to those parts of the globe whose
riches are differently dispersed…
”
~ Pico Iyer
A Visit to India
A Warm Welcome
14 JULY 2015