There is no better way to understand a place than to see it through fresh eyes. When Parul University hosted its International Week delegation from Uzbekistan, the visiting professors did more than teach, they experienced India for the first time, and shared their impressions with a candour that is both charming and revealing. Here is India, and Parul University, as they saw it.
The India They Had Only Seen on Screen
For many of the delegates, love of India began in childhood, through Indian films, festivals, songs, and dance. Prof. Madjitova Oyshakhon of Kokand State University, a teacher of 23 years, had dreamed of visiting India since she was young. Standing in it, she said, was completely different from watching it. Arriving in Delhi, she noticed the crowded roads and the busy energy of the city, and above all the people, whom she found kind, smiling, and welcoming. She described India in two words: colourful and bright.
The Great Spice Challenge
If one theme united the delegates, it was Indian food, and its heat. Coming from Uzbek cuisine, which leans on salt rather than a wide range of spices, the visitors found Indian food delicious but often far spicier than they were used to. Prof. Madjitova joked about drinking water after every bite, but ate it anyway because she loved the taste. She drew warm comparisons too, noting that Uzbekistan’s obi non bread resembles chapati, and describing Sumalak, a sweet made on special occasions. Food, as ever, became a bridge between the two cultures.
A Campus Like No Other
Parul University’s sheer scale left a strong impression. Prof. Madjitova said she had never seen such a large university before. Dr. Jahongir Ikromov, a medical faculty member, was struck by something else entirely: the way academic life coexists with nature on campus, and he was delighted to spot large bats and monkeys among the buildings, an unexpected charm he clearly enjoyed. But it was not the size or the setting the delegates mentioned most. It was the people, the assistants who helped them, the staff, and the students they described as kind and supportive.
Mohabbat”: The Warmth of the Welcome
Asked to sum up her experience in three words, Shosura Khusenova of Asian Technology University chose just one, and it captured what nearly every delegate felt.
Mohabbat, which means love. People are so kind, so polite. Everybody is eager to help.
– Shosura Khusenova, on her experience at Parul University
She spoke of how people could make a newcomer feel almost like family, repeatedly checking, “Are you safe? Are you okay? Are you comfortable?” For her, this personal warmth was the most touching part of the visit, and a reason she hoped to return. Oydinoy Odilova echoed it, naming hospitality among her strongest impressions and describing her overall experience in a single word: “Perfect.” It was the Indian ideal of “Atithi Devo Bhava”, treating a guest as the divine, lived out in practice.
An Honest Verdict on a Very Large University
Perhaps most striking, from academics who deal with institutions for a living, was their assessment of how well Parul University runs. Shosura was direct.
The management is so good. I didn’t see any chaos anywhere.
– Shosura Khusenova
She acknowledged that running a university this large is no small task, yet found no chaos and no major academic problems. Dr. Ikromov summed up his impression in three words of his own, “Affordability, quality and education”, and said what he would take home was the kindness, the quality, and the experience of the natural environment. From visitors with nothing to gain by flattery, it is testimony worth noting.
Places to Remember, and a Wish for the Taj
Beyond the campus, the delegates embraced India as travellers. Prof. Madjitova spoke with excitement about visiting the Statue of Unity, remembering how the rain shifted from spot to spot as they walked, and named the Taj Mahal as the place she most longs to see, part of a lifelong wish to visit the seven wonders of the world. These moments outside the classroom, as much as the sessions within it, made the visit meaningful.
The Beginning of Something Lasting
For several delegates, the visit sparked genuine plans for the future. Shosura, who had recently completed her master’s, spoke of applying for a PhD and possibly spending a semester at Parul University. Oydinoy pointed to concrete next steps, an MOU between the institutions, summer schools, international programmes, and joint research. Their reflections show something important: that internationalization is not only about sessions delivered, but about the human relationships and lasting partnerships those sessions begin. Seen through their eyes, India, and Parul University, made a lasting impression, one built on kindness as much as scholarship.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did visiting faculty think of Parul University?
Visiting professors from Uzbekistan spoke highly of Parul University, praising its large campus, its supportive students and staff, and its organisation, one described the management as excellent and noted the absence of chaos despite the university’s size. Several summed up their experience with words like “Mohabbat” (love) and “Perfect,” and expressed interest in returning.
What surprised international visitors most about India?
Common impressions included the warmth and hospitality of the people, the spiciness of Indian food (delicious but a challenge for those used to milder cuisine), the vibrancy and colour of the country, and unexpected charms like animals such as monkeys on campus. Many said experiencing India in person was very different from seeing it in films.
Why do visiting-faculty experiences matter for students?
They offer an honest, outside perspective on a university and a country, and they turn one-off visits into lasting partnerships, MOUs, exchange programmes, and joint research, that create future opportunities for students. They also show internationalization in action: the human connections behind institutional collaboration.
