AGS Wine and Cheese Evening: Discussion on the Devyani Khobragade Scandal

The latest Wine and Cheese evening at AGS was hosted by Dr. Ruchi Anand on February 4th, on the theme: "Indian Fury Over Strip Search of Khobragade: Strained Indo-US Diplomatic Relations?" The presentation and discussion focused on the recent diplomatic standoff between the US and India over the handcuffing, strip-search and eventual departure of Devyani Khobragade.

Khobragade, 39, was the Deputy Consul General of the Consulate of India in New York City at the time she was handcuffed and arrested on December 12, 2013. The charges against her were visa fraud and compensation of her housekeeper, Sangeeta Richard, at a rate that was much below the minimum wages - and below the amount specified on the contract that Khobragade submitted for her employee's visa. All the charges together carry a maximum sentence of fifteen years in prison. Dr. Anand’s presentation explored the diplomatic, personal, political, legal, diplomatic, theoretical, cultural, caste, class and humanitarian issues that arise from this scandal. She also supported her presentation with references to the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Immunity and  the Vienna Convention on Consular Immunity (1961) as well as The Consular Notification and Access Manual published by the U.S. Department of State (2011). Quoting Carol Hanisch, she emphasized that in international relations and diplomacy, "The personal is political is international."

The topic sparked a lively debate with the audience of fifty, among which was career diplomat and AGS professor Ambassador Dominique Dreyer, who contributed his expertise to the discussion as he is the former Ambassador of Switzerland to India, Nepal and Bhutan, as well as to China, Mongolia and North Korea.

Professor Ruchi Anand, Ph.D. is an expert on international relations, gender issues and international law. Born and raised in India, she studied international relations and international law at Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi, India before obtaining her Ph.D. from Purdue University in the United States. She has been teaching at the American Graduate School for twelve years. See her full profile here.

Wine and Cheese evenings have become an highlight and much looked forward event in the academic and social life of the American Graduate School in Paris. Twice every semester, the school invites a specialist to present and engage the audience in an informal discussion on a topic of international relations. Students, alumni, faculty, and other guests get together around their shared passion for international affairs - and around a gourmet buffet of French wine and cheeses!

Preparations for the event are part of the excitement. Traditionally, Jean-Pierre Lachenal, former AGS Finance Director also known by most as a fine expert on cheeses and wines, invites those interested to shop with him at the famous cheese store Barthélémy and at the just-as-famous Poilâne bakery in the 6th and 7th arrondissements of Paris, not far from the school. Below is a photo album that Nicole Varner, a student at Arcadia University currently spending a semester in Paris in the study abroad program at AGS, shared with us. It includes snapshots of the preparations as well as pictures that she took during the presentation.

If you are interested in attending future Wine and Cheese evenings at the American Graduate School in Paris, please contact us at info@ags.edu. Note that space is limited.