Indian Ambassador Devyani Khobragade Dresses as ‘Khmer Apsara’ for Cambodian New Year Greetings

Indian Ambassador to Cambodia, Devyani Khobragade, recently extended her greetings for the Cambodian New Year in a unique manner by dressing up as a traditional ‘Khmer Apsara’. The photos shared on the official social media handles of the Indian Embassy in Cambodia portrayed the esteemed diplomat elegantly attired in Khmer culture.

The Indian Ambassador holds a profound admiration for Khmer traditions, as highlighted in the post on the Indian Embassy in Cambodia’s Twitter account. In the photo series, Ambassador Khobragade was portrayed in a traditional ‘Khmer Apsara’ outfit, symbolizing the strong cultural ties between India and Cambodia.

Devyani Khobragade, a seasoned Indian Foreign Service officer from the 1999 batch, has served in diplomatic roles across various countries, such as Berlin, New York, Islamabad, and Rome. Her previous tenure as a diplomat in New York stirred controversy when she was embroiled in a visa fraud case by the SDNY nearly a decade ago.

In addition to the visa fraud case, Devyani Khobragade faced allegations of underpaying her domestic help in the US, which she vehemently denied, citing them as baseless accusations. Her diplomatic immunity shielded her from these charges, eventually leading to her return to India.

The diplomatic row between India and the US over Devyani Khobragade’s case resulted in a strained relationship, with India downgrading privileges of certain categories of US diplomats in the country. The US reciprocated by withdrawing one of its diplomats from India during the escalation of tensions.