Atlanta Indian Community Honors Consul General Ramesh Babu Lakshmanan

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Atlanta, Georgia: The Indian American community in Atlanta gathered for a special farewell reception honoring Ramesh Babu Lakshmanan as he concludes his tenure as Consul General of India in Atlanta, recognizing his service and engagement across the Southeast United States.

In his remarks, Lakshmanan expressed gratitude to the Atlanta community for its support throughout his three-year tenure. Recalling his arrival in the city, he said community members initially addressed him as “Consul General ji,” but now call him by his name, “Ramesh Babu.”

“I take it as a personal gift from all of you that I came as a consul general and I’m going as Ramesh Babu. That’s the most beautiful thing I think I will cherish,” he said, acknowledging the close relationships he developed with community members.

Reflecting on his travels across Georgia, Lakshmanan spoke about the state’s agrarian character and natural beauty, and his visits to small towns outside Atlanta, where he experienced local cuisine and coffee.

He also recalled asking for “Lassi,” meaning “buttermilk,” at gas stations during his travels, although he was unsuccessful in finding it. In a lighthearted remark, he told the gathering that if “Lassi” becomes available anywhere along Interstate 75 in the future, community members would know whom to credit.

Lakshmanan said his diplomatic assignment also gave him an opportunity to deepen his understanding of India. He noted that before attending various cultural festivals and community events, he would research their significance in preparation for his remarks.

He also highlighted the establishment of an India Caucus in the Georgia Senate and recognized Georgia State Sen. Shawn Still as one of its co-chairs. Lakshmanan thanked Still for spearheading the initiative and said there are hopes of organizing an India festival at the Georgia House next year.

The Consul General said seeing diaspora members celebrate Indian culture and festivals far from their homeland “really encourages” diplomats like him. He added that the care and effort community organizations put into such events motivate diplomats and visiting Indian officials to participate.

Lakshmanan also thanked community members who traveled from Tennessee and Alabama to attend the farewell reception.

“I really mean it. I think my job is well done,” he said, adding that while people generally referred to him as the Consul General of India in Atlanta, he preferred to describe himself as the Consul General of India in Southeast USA.

“I think you made that a reality by coming to my farewell by traveling a few hours,” he added.

Reflecting on his tenure, Lakshmanan identified several key takeaways, including the importance of “giving back” to both India and local communities, and his belief that members of the Indian diaspora serve as ambassadors for India in the United States.

He also highlighted the consulate’s efforts to improve the efficiency of its services, crediting its staff and established emergency protocols for supporting the growing demand.

“I like to say that when we opened the consulate, there were 4,000 services. Last year, we had 846,000 services with the same amount of manpower,” he said, noting that he has not been receiving weekend calls regarding visas during the past six months. He said an emergency number system is in place to assist people when urgent needs arise.

Lakshmanan thanked the consulate’s staff members for their dedicated work in supporting both his office and the community.

As he prepares to take up his next assignment as India’s Ambassador to Ivory Coast, Lakshmanan said Atlanta would remain an important part of his life.

“You can take Ramesh Babu out of Atlanta, but not Atlanta out of Ramesh Babu,” he said, drawing enthusiastic applause from community members.

Host Himanshu Karnwal said the Consul General “profoundly enriched our community over the past few years. So tonight we come together to express our heartfelt gratitude to him as he concludes his remarkable tenure.”

Karnwal highlighted Lakshmanan’s “open-door” policy and accessibility to the diaspora. He credited the Consul General with helping transform the consulate into a cultural hub for festivals and community engagement, facilitating business connections between Indian and American enterprises, and strengthening relationships with state and local government leaders in Georgia.

Subhash Razdan, representing the National Federation of Indian American Associations and the Gandhi Foundation, praised Lakshmanan’s popularity and his ability to build trust within the community.

Padma Bhushan awardee Prof. Jagdish Sheth acknowledged both Lakshmanan and his wife, Renuka Devi, for their engagement with the community.

“It’s a big loss for us as a community, and no great diplomat is as great without a backbone, which is the wife or the spouse,” Sheth said, thanking Renuka Devi for the numerous dinners the couple hosted at their home.

“You are as much a part of the community as a part of the diplomatic corps. We’ll miss you. Again, thank you so much for putting your time, three years in Atlanta,” he said, adding that the Southeast is the future, as the Consul General had mentioned.

“Southeast is where the growth is, and Atlanta is a very strategic global city in the process,” Sheth added.

Shiv Aggarwal of Ekal shared an anecdote about Lakshmanan’s commitment to community engagement, recalling how the Consul General met with community members shortly after arriving from India despite experiencing jet lag.

Judge Neera Bahl described Lakshmanan as a “unifier” who brought together different segments of the community, while Rajeev Menon of CoHNA characterized him as a “People’s Consul General,” citing his personal approach to community engagement.

Vasudev Patel of OFBJP-USA highlighted Lakshmanan’s efforts to understand local customs and said his use of traditional Indian attire at community events encouraged others to follow his example.

Senator Still praised Lakshmanan’s “silent leadership” and described him as a model for others. Georgia State Rep. Dr. Michelle Au highlighted his family-oriented approach, saying it demonstrated authentic leadership within the community.

Fulton County Commissioner Bridget Thorne spoke about Lakshmanan’s engagement with the Indian American community and said his presence brought dignity to the community.

Dr. Narasimhulu Neelagaru recalled that when the Consul General took over, he invited him for a frank discussion to discuss ideas on how to support the community. 

Representatives of several other organizations also shared personal memories of Lakshmanan, recalling his kindness, accessibility and sense of humor during his tenure in Atlanta.

Vani Gaddam, Ph.D., an educational consultant, from Suwanee, Georgia, served as an emcee for the event.