Denmark envoy’s garland look has a ‘well-decorated diplomat’ explanation

Denmark's ambassador to India, Rasmus Abildgaard Kristensen, shared a photo of himself nearly hidden by flower garlands on X. The light-hearted post got amused reactions and highlighted India's tradition of lavishly welcoming guests.

Rasmus Abildgaard Kristensen, Ambassador of Denmark to India, found himself wearing multiple flower garlands in a picture he shared from his time in India, joking that he had discovered what it meant to be a “well-decorated diplomat.”

Kristensen shared the picture on his official X account, where he was seen dressed in a formal suit and tie. However, his diplomatic attire was hardly the most noticeable part of the photograph.

More than 10 flower garlands were piled around his neck, covering a large portion of his chest and rising so high that they partially obscured his face. Despite the rather overwhelming floral welcome, the ambassador was seen smiling broadly at the camera.

Sharing the picture, Kristensen captioned it, “So this is what they mean by a well-decorated diplomat.”

The playful post received amused reactions from Indian users, with one person joking that the garlands represented only one per cent of the decorations he could receive in India.

Another suggested that the Danish diplomat would have looked even better in a traditional Indian outfit, complete with a kurta, churidar and jootis.

Others welcomed him to India’s colourful traditions, with one user hoping he would enjoy the country’s many colours and explaining the sentiment behind the Indian phrase “Atithi Devo Bhava”, which translates to “the guest is God.”

The photograph offered a light-hearted glimpse into the elaborate welcomes diplomats and other visiting dignitaries can receive in India, with Kristensen seemingly embracing the occasion with a smile.