States » SouthPosted at: Jun 20 2025 12:58AM


'Pardon My French' bookshelf launch sees literary conversation between Shashi Tharoor, French Ambassador

Thiruvananthapuram, June 19 (UNI) 'Pardon My French' bookshelf was launched with a literary conversation between Lok Sabha member Dr Shashi Tharoor and Dr Thierry Mathou, Ambassador of France to India, here on Thursday.
In a message on X, Tharoor said "A delightful conversation with French Ambassador Thierry Mathou at Thiruvananthapuram’s DC Books’ flagship store, where a new shelf of French books in translation was inaugurated as part of the Year of France in India."
"The Ambassador and I spent an hour – with him in the interrogator‘s chair – talking about French literature and culture, its impact on Kerala, the challenges of translation, and the affinities of French culture, literature, and ideas, on France’s relationship with our country."
"The conversation will be up on @YouTube soon!," Tharoor added.
The 'Pardon My French' programme was organised by the DC Bookstore, in partnership with The French Institute in India, with a view to bringing French literature to bookstores across the nation, in dedicated corners with a list curated for local readers, in partnership with independent bookstores.
The programme aims to ensure that the Indian bibliophile has as much access to French titles as their international counterparts.
The selection includes iconic French classics from Sartre to Proust, those contemporary French titles with an established following in India (Marjane Satrapi, Annie Ernaux) as well as new voices seeing international acclaim (Victoria Mas, Édouard Louis, Virginie Despentes) and more.
The conversation explored Dr. Tharoor's personal journey with French literature, from his earliest literary encounters to his most cherished reading experiences.
As a scholar Dr. Mathou’s main focus is on India-China relations and Himalayan studies. He is a notable specialist in Bhutan studies.
Dr. Thierry Mathou took office as French Ambassador to India on September 17, 2023. He is both a career diplomat and a scholar specialized in Asian studies.
He started his diplomatic career in 1989 at the French Embassy in Washington DC. In 1993 he was assigned to the French Embassy in Beijing.
In 1996 he was posted at the Department of European Affairs of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Paris where he dealt mainly with multilateral trade issues and EU-Asia relations.
Specialized in Asian Affairs, he was assigned three times to China (Beijing and Shanghai) where he spent 13 years and held several positions including Consul general in Shanghai (2006-2010) during the 2010 World Expo.
He also served as Deputy Director of the Department for International Economic and Financial Affairs at the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 2004 to 2006.
UNI DS RN
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