Surya namaskar to dosa, he loves all things Indian

BANGALORE: As a boy, Ian Felton would look forward to "walking holidays" with his parents every year in Lake district, northwest England. "That was the best time of my childhood. I would look forward to it so much every year,” recalls Felton. Thousands of miles away and many years later, diplomat Ian Felton is somewhat reprising those days with his daily-morning walks in Cubbon Park.
As British Deputy High Commissioner in Bangalore, when he is not promoting trade and investment between India and UK from the British Council office off Kasturba Road, Felton loves to watch plays or any cultural programme in the city to understand Karnataka’s glorious heritage and culture better. "As a diplomat, I believe in a complete understanding of the region’s culture and traditions. To me that is very important to understand the people I work with.”
It’s a work ethic he has followed in his various stints, as ambassador at Republic of Guinea and at Phnom Penh, or when he was in the United Nations at New York.
The UK, he says, wants the brightest and the best to help create jobs and growth that will enable Britain to compete in the global race. "And for this I must step out of my glass cabin and meet people. A diplomat today cannot be in a closed-door environment. He/she has to adopt an open-door policy.”
Clearly, Felton walks the talk. He has travelled to most parts of Karnataka not just as a tourist but on work, reviewing projects. From meeting entrepreneurs in Hubli to zilla panchayat members in Gulbarga, he says. "I shouldn’t be complaining about traffic clogs and sit in Bangalore. I need to be involved in fixing issues and promoting sustainable living. It is so important for people like me to understand that everyone doesn’t live in UB City. There are places like Gulbarga, Bidar and others where development needs focus,” he says.
Felton’s typical day begins at 6am, walking and running in Cubbon Park (he’s a marathon runner too). This is followed by a brief yoga session and breakfast. At 8.30 sharp he is in office. "Clearing mails, tweeting, updating the British PM, reading local newspapers and meetings. I make it a point to attend as many cultural events in a week to understand the city and its people better,” he says.
And it’s teamwork all the way. His wife Judith is with him right from his morning run/walk to doing surya namaskar, and to engaging in social dos. "She makes good sambar and dosas too. I cook but am not good with Indian food,” says the diplomat who is in his 40s.
But Bangalore is special for him. "I was born in Libya and grew up in Berlin. But I heard so much about this city that when the opening came about while I was at the Republic of West Africa, I applied and so badly wanted to work in Bangalore. It was tough and very competitive to get this job. I realized if the posting was in India, then everyone wanted Bangalore. But I made it. I’m here because I want to be in this city,” he says, sipping on strong South Indian coffee.