Mrs. Nimeesha Gupta, wife of the Indian High Commissioner to Ghana, says the first thing that caught her attention about Ghana was how welcoming the people are.

Speaking in an interview with host Anita Akua Akuffo on TV3’s The Afternoon Show, Mrs. Gupta said, “Coming to Ghana or West Africa is not new for me. We were here from 2002 to 2005, serving in Senegal, so West Africa has always been close to my heart. But coming to Ghana, an Anglophone country, brought me a sense of closeness to India because I knew I wouldn’t face basic communication challenges with the community here.

I also found the landscape and tropical climate somewhat similar to those in the southern states of India, so in that sense, it felt familiar. However, I didn’t fully know about the cultural richness of Ghana. The culture is incredibly vibrant, and the weather is quite warm. Having explored different parts of the world, Ghana still manages to surprise you. I came with minimal expectations, but in every aspect, Ghana has truly mesmerized me.

It’s not just the vibrant colors or the lush green landscapes, it’s the people who touched me the most. The first thing that stood out to me was ‘Akwaaba,’ the spirit of welcoming a stranger and making that person feel at home. As diplomats, we often refer to our postings in official terms, but coming to Ghana felt like a homecoming. I didn’t feel like I was going to another country; it felt like being among my own people.

The size of the Indian community here is about fifteen to twenty thousand, many of whom have lived here for over five decades. That makes me proud to represent my country here, while also appreciating the Ghanaian people, who have embraced Indian culture in many ways. The way they have assimilated Indian culture is very interesting to me,” she added.

Writer: Frederick Nortey