# German envoy’s India journey began with Vikram Seth novel 2026-08-10T09:21:30+00:00 | World & Diplomacy | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet German Ambassador to India Philipp Ackermann, whose tenure ends in August 2025, has revealed that his fascination with India began after reading Vikram Seth's novel "A Suitable Boy" in the early 2000s while posted in New York. Ackermann, who served in New Delhi from 2007 to 2010 before returning as ambassador in 2022, said the 1,300-page book made him want to visit the country. He later met Seth personally and described the author as having a "wonderful way" of capturing India's spirit. During his tenure, Ackermann gained attention for his "Mango Diaries" social media series and for dancing to the song "Naatu Naatu" from the film RRR. ## Coverage - indiatoday.in Tags: A Suitable Boy, German Ambassador, India diplomacy, literary fascination, Philipp Ackermann, Vikram Seth Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/german-envoys-india-journey-began-with-vikram-seth-novel/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/german-envoys-india-journey-began-with-vikram-seth-novel/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.