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Journalism of Courage
Shashi Tharoor son diplomatic meet: In a striking moment of warmth and wit during India’s diplomatic mission in Washington DC, following the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor had an unexpected exchange – not with a foreign diplomat, but with his own son.
As Tharoor addressed a packed room of journalists, foreign policy wonks, and diplomats, a voice from the audience caught his attention. It was his son Ishaan Tharoor, a global affairs columnist with The Washington Post.
With a grin and a hint of mock protest, Tharoor said, “That shouldn’t be allowed. This is my son,” drawing laughter from the crowd.
Ishaan, clearly amused, introduced himself with dry humour: “Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post. Definitely asking a question in a personal capacity. Mostly to say hi before you go off to your next engagement.”
As Ishaan picked up the mic, his father couldn’t help but slip into dad mode, gesturing for him to lift it higher – a scene instantly relatable to any Indian household.
Then came the real question – pointed, and professional. Ishaan asked whether any foreign governments had demanded proof of Pakistan’s involvement in the Pahalgam attack. Shashi, unfazed, replied with a chuckle, “I’m very glad you raised this, Ishaan. I didn’t plant it. I promise you. This guy does this to his dad.”
On a serious note, Shashi clarified that “no one had any doubt,” and said India wasn’t asked for evidence by any of the governments they had engaged with, although “two or three” media outlets did raise the question. “India would not have done this without convincing evidence,” he asserted.
He backed his claim with familiar patterns – pointing to a “37-year legacy” of cross-border terrorism and consistent Pakistani denials, from the 26/11 Mumbai attacks to the discovery of Osama bin Laden near a Pakistani military compound. “They will dispatch terrorists, they will deny they did so until they’re actually caught with red hands,” he said.
The veteran parliamentarian also pushed back against suggestions of American mediation. Referring to past US claims of brokering peace between India and Pakistan, he made it clear that New Delhi wasn’t interested in playing along. “Mediation is not a term that we are particularly willing to entertain,” he said. “You’re implying an equivalence which simply doesn’t exist… There is no equivalence between terrorists and their victims.”
Shashi acknowledged calls of concern from high-level US officials following the attack but noted that if Washington was truly working the phones, it was Pakistan that needed the persuasion.
The moment between father and son – candid, intelligent, and classically Indian – quickly made its way across social media, with netizens having a field day.
One user called it a “Classic Indian dad” moment, while another wrote, “Raise your mike — just parent things.” A cricket fan weighed in with, “Arjun Tendulkar bowling to Sachin Tendulkar.” And someone else summed it up with perfect desi flair: “Beta ek numberi, baap dus numberi.”
