New US diplomat to UK embassy speaks fluent Urdu, Hindi

LONDON: The US State Department has appointed in the UK capital a fluent speaker of Urdu and Hindi as a spokesperson to create better communications with the worldwide large audience of these South Asian linguistic communities.

Margaret MacLeod speaks Urdu and Hindi fluently and her vocabulary which engages South Asian, Dari and Pan-Aran media, especially India and Pakistan.

She shared that her sources of obtaining news about Pakistan are Geo News and Voice of America. She said, “I learn Urdu from various sources. For news on Pakistan, I follow Geo News, Voice of America Urdu service and some other mediums. Mainly it’s news that I follow. I use my language skills in restaurants and on London streets. I keep meeting people in London who speak Hindi and Urdu.”

Margaret MacLeod described Pakistan as a “beautiful country” where she spent two years of her diplomatic life. “I worked there for two years and visited Lahore and Karachi. I visited places such as Khewra Salt Mines, Rothas Qilla. My favourite place was the historic city of Taxila.”

Before taking up her role in London, Margaret was posted in New Delhi. She was struck by the cultural similarities between the two warring neighbours. “Both countries share a lot of common culture. Cultural relations between the people are quite strong. For me it was a great experience to be in both countries to experience so much.”

Margaret MacLeod is a seasoned American diplomat and has served in various overseas assignments, including roles in US Missions in India, Pakistan, and Japan. She holds a doctorate in Sustainable Development from Columbia University, earned her bachelor’s degree in International Economics from Georgetown University, and pursued studies at the Delhi School of Economics as a Rotary Scholar. She has worked in the US Senate and the US Mission to the United Nations for many years.