Navigating the geopolitical panorama of over 125 embassies, participating in international diplomacy, and nonetheless managing a morning stroll together with his spouse, Dr S Jaishankar, India’s Exterior Affairs Minister, leads a life that’s something however typical.
In a candid interview, Dr Jaishankar shared the intimate contours of his on a regular basis routine, unveiling a life marked by worldwide calls at 2 a.m., jet lag confusion, fast newspaper scans, and even yard badminton video games.
“My routine… I’ve a routine, however my routine retains altering a bit as a result of once you do international coverage, one is that we journey so much. So, generally you don’t know in jet lag the place you’re bodily and mentally. So, this can be a huge downside,” he started.
He jokes that his day usually begins round 6 a.m.—not early by his household’s requirements. Mornings are reserved for psychological and bodily alignment via yoga and physiotherapy-like stretching.
A protracted-standing ritual is his morning squash recreation: “And one behavior which I’ve had now for a lot of, a few years, primary recreation khelta hoon. Normally, I am going to play squash.”
He typically walks for about half-hour together with his spouse, carving out time for dialog amid a 24/7 work life. “And lots of days, I take a stroll, even possibly about half an hour, that’s one factor I normally do with my spouse. Kam se kam hum baat toh karte hain us samay, so that’s a further worth for that point as effectively,” he instructed YourStory.
From early morning briefings from Indian missions worldwide to scanning 10–12 newspapers and reviewing summarised international developments, Dr Jaishankar stays attuned to the heartbeat of the world.
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“There’s a sure method you construct your life round that disturbance, that additionally turns into a behavior,” he explains, reflecting on his unpredictable schedule formed by world occasions.
His workday begins round 9:30 a.m. and flows into high-level conferences, opinions, and demanding geopolitical choices. Evenings aren’t restful both—they’re spent attending political conferences, clearing ministry recordsdata, or holding diplomatic calls with officers in Western time zones.
“It’s a 24/7 life as a result of someplace, somebody is awake, and one thing is occurring.”
In between, he squeezes within the easy joys of life—watching an internet sequence throughout a flight, listening to music, or flipping via books.
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“Motion pictures are a little bit of a problem since you don’t get two hours. I favor serials—in 45 minutes you may see one episode, not less than you may type of transfer on.”
A profession in international affairs has not stripped Jaishankar of home intimacy or private self-discipline—it has solely made him more proficient at harmonising the 2.