Riyaz Aluher
When Dr. Shashi Tharoor stepped onto the stage at Arcade Independence Square to launch the Colombo Literary Festival, the atmosphere was charged with literary anticipation. Welcomed warmly by publishers, writers, and eager readers, the diplomat-turned-author reminded the audience that books possess an unmatched power: “Stories continue to unite us in ways that politics sometimes cannot,” he remarked, advocating for deeper cultural ties through literature and translation.
For book lovers in Sri Lanka, seeing Dr. Tharoor in person was more than just a chance to hear a seasoned UN diplomat and politician; it was an encounter with South Asia’s informal “Lexicographer-in-Chief.”
The Master of the Grand Word
Few public figures have captured the internet’s imagination through vocabulary quite like Dr. Tharoor. His penchant for deploying grand, tongue-twisting English words has turned routine social media posts into national vocabulary lessons.
Whenever he introduces a rare word, it routinely trends across the region. Among his most famous linguistic moments is his usage of floccinaucinihilipilification—
He didn’t stop there. To reassure readers who might feel overwhelmed by his choice of words, he quipped about hippopotomonstrosesquippedalio
When asked about the longest technical word listed in major dictionaries—
Building Bridges Through Books
During his visit to Colombo, which included a walk through the historic archives at the Colombo Public Library alongside local leaders, Dr. Tharoor’s message remained centered on the joy of reading. Whether dissecting complex geopolitical affairs, inspiring young readers to expand their horizons, or playfully dropping a 29-letter word into everyday conversation, Dr. Tharoor continues to demonstrate that language is meant to be celebrated, explored, and shared.
