Melba Pria, former Mexican ambassador to India: I’ll always be the ambassador with the autorickshaw

In her circle of diplomats, she was popular as ‘the ambassador with the autorickshaw’ and to her friends in Delhi, she was that dependable runner, who would turn up for any training or running event, come what may! But recently, the former Mexican ambassador to India Melba Pria – whose decision to keep an autorickshaw as one of her personal vehicles drew a lot of attention – had her last run on Delhi streets.As Pria prepared to leave for her next posting as Mexico’s envoy to Japan, she spoke to us and said that India will always be home.“I have a relation with India, a profound one. Now India is more than just a fascinating place where I used to travel. India is friends, family, home and so many other things, even my doctors are here,” she told us. For Pria, among many other things that she loved about the capital, its people and a range of cultural activities stand out. “Delhi has many cities within one city,” she said.
‘Delhi is a beautiful city, but you have to be daring to be an outdoor person here’
During her initial days Delhi, she explored the city by running and biking around. But like any other foreigner venturing out early morning for a run on Delhi streets, she too was warned. “When we talk about Delhi for runners, there are two things to be taken note of. It is green and beautiful, no doubts about that, but it is also unsafe. When I came here, my driver told me that I cannot go for a run or biking alone. When I asked for the reason, he said that ‘this is how it is, if you are going with a group, we can sit and have chai, but if you are going alone, we have to be with you.’ So, I started running with him. But it was too much for my staff to run or to go cycling with me. Sometimes when I would go cycling from my home in Rajokri to Old Delhi, they would follow me in a car. Over the time, I came across some running and cycling groups and made friends,” she said, adding, that one of the two causes that she wanted to promote here was to encourage women to run and for fitness. “I know it is unsafe, it is polluted and you have to daring to be an outdoor person in Delhi, but one thing I always told young women I met while running was that if their grandmother can do it (referring to herself), they can do it too. I used to encourage every woman I would come across while running,” said Pria.
‘I will get another CNG three-wheeler in Japan’
In her four-and-a-half-year tenure in Delhi, Pria’s autorickshaw became a cool statement, something that even she didn’t imagine when she thought about keeping it as one of her personal vehicles in the city. “The initial idea to keep an autorickshaw was to promote Mexico in an Indian way. The second reason was to raise a voice against pollution. Very quickly in this city, you understand that pollution and traffic are major problems here. But the reactions I got for my autorickshaw initially were interesting. I discovered there is a class system in vehicles too. I always asked people that how is my CNG auto always lower in this class chart, while it pollutes lesser than any car? Then there were places where three-wheelers were not allowed. I created a little fuss, but when I did, I made sure it was heard. The Parliament didn’t allow my auto to enter in its complex. I asked people there that in the house of people, how come a vehicle of people is not allowed? There were many places it wasn’t allowed an entry. People have this idea that rickshaws are dirty,” she said.
The former ambassador tried her best to take her three-wheeler to her next destination Tokyo, but could not. “The problem is the different standards that Japanese have for three-wheelers, but I will get another one there. I will always be the ambassador with the autorickshaw.”