Kathak, culture & camaraderie at Italian envoy’s residence

Dancing to Gallan Goodiyaan from Dil Dhadakne Do , learning about Indian weaves, and discussing different cultures over Italian food, the spouses of Heads of Mission and Indian diplomats celebrated International Women’s Day at the residence of Antonio Bartoli. Ester Bartoli, wife of the Italian Ambassador, organised the event as co-president of the Spouses of Heads of Mission (SHOM).

The evening began with a Kathak performance, followed by a lively act by ambassadors’ spouses. Guests later explored different sari-draping styles before the evening concluded with a musical performance. Speaking to us, Ester said, “Women should be celebrated every day. Our association organises activities like Bollywood dance, cooking classes, meditation sessions and mahjong for the spouses of ambassadors. We celebrated Women’s Day with the External Affairs Spouses’ Association (EASA). We are completely different, but we share similar lives – that of being an ambassador’s wife, which can sometimes be difficult. Things are changing now, but in our generation many of us left our jobs and our countries to live with our husbands. But it is also wonderful.”Get the latest entertainment updates from the Times of India, along with the latest Hindi movies, upcoming Hindi movies in 2026 , and Telugu movies.”