Phnom Penh [Combodia], April 14 : Devyani Khobrogade, the current Indian ambassador to Combodia, who was at the centre of a controversy that fueled tensions between India and the US earlier, surfaced on social media on Saturday in an image from a photoshoot in traditional Cambodian attire.
It turns out that the Indian envoy dressed up as a 'Khmer Apsara' to extend her wishes to Cambodians on the occasion of Khmer New Year.
The diplomat, who, according to post on the X handle of the Indian Embasy in Cambodia, has a deep understanding and admiration for Khmer culture and tradition, dressed up 'elegantly' to mark the country's New Year.
"Ambassador Devyani Khobragade has a deep admiration for Khmer culture and tradition. Embracing the spirit of Khmer New Year, she elegantly dressed as a Khmer Apsara, embodying the rich bond of our civilizations. Wishing all our Combodia friends a joyous Khmer New Year celebration," read the post on the official X handle of the Indian Embassy in Combodia.
Khobragade was drafted into the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) in 1999 and went to serve the country in the capacity of a diplomat at Indian missions in Berlin, New York, Islamabad and Rome.
However, it was her diplomatic tenure in New York that came into the media spotlight for all the wrong reasons, as she was arrested on charges of visa fraud and giving 'false' statements in the matter. She was charged by the US attorney for the Southern District of New York (SDNY) on December 12, 2013.
In a separate controversy, she was also alleged to have paid her domestic help below the minimum wage limit in the US. However, she contested the charges, claiming them to be 'false and baseless'. The charges were subsequently dismissed by a US court, citing diplomatic immunity.
India turned down the US's request at the time to waive off her diplomatic immunity at the time. Thereafter, Khobragade flew back to her homeland.
The row over Khobragade saw the diplomatic ties between India and the US hit a rocky phase, as New Delhi downgraded the privileges of certain categories of US diplomats in the country.
To this, the US responded by pulling out one of its diplomats from the country.
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