Bicycle Thieves of Amsterdam
| August 16, 2025
My love for Dutch has blossomed as I became a fan of Ruud Gullit, Frank Rijkaard, and Van Basten while watching the ITALIA’90 FIFA World Cup live at midnight with Santhosh. However, Holland remained just another country in Europe for me, but it detained a place in my heart as the home of my players.
As time passed, 10 years later, I met Anita Jurgens and Marieke van Rhijn from Wageningen University at Integrated Rural Technology Centre, where I was coordinating a project on empowering PanchayatiRaj and Human Resources Development Programmes supported by NSPDART (National Society for Promotion of Development Administration, Research & Training) and LBS Academy, Mussoorie and they were on their studies as part of their academia. I heard a lot about Holand through them. I experienced the Dutch culture through the narratives of my then mentor, Dr. George K. Philip, while on the period he spent in the Netherlands for Marieke's wedding. His recounting of experiences reached a point where I felt present at there, with a film documenting his whole stay in The Netherlands, made by Marieke and her family.
But the fond for the country has emerged to a special point when my senior friend Raju Raphel narrated his experiences while he was studying Radio Nederland Training Centre (RNTC) and the same he brought as book titled ‘Amsterdaamile Saikkilukal’. The book has influenced me to the extend to have a membership in ‘Vrienden op de Fiets’ and follow Dutch Cycling Embassy. In 2014, during the Apollo Tyres Ltd World HR Conference, I had the pleasure of meeting Tom Groen, Jochem Overdijk, Jan Mos, Martin Grondman, and Marco Heerze from Enschede (https://www.vredestein.nl/). This happenstance brought back cherished memories and allowed me to experience the warmth of Duch alongside A S Girish and K K Vijayakumar and that too with the steps of Ganeh, Mubarak and Manoj with wine.
All these amounted as a base to plan a long pending trip the Netherlands. In 2017, I visited the has been reclaimed from the sea and is below sea level, protected by floodbank /dikes. I visited coffeeshop. I took a tour through the canals. I saw the place where Ann Frank Hide, which pushed me to desolation. I saw stags in the red-light area and surprisingly seen a pack of women thronged with call for the hen party. But I, recalling the girl with Kosovo eyes inside Casa Rosso, walked head bent down beside the canals.
I spent a few days with Martin, an organic farmer from the Zaandam area. I was lucky enough to be hosted by Gibert, a carpenter from the Bussum area, who let me ride their Omafiets/Opafiets and explore the charming villages with their family. I explored the canals with their boats, experienced how the old-age windmills are functioning and was amazed by the operation of the ‘Water Board’. The Hoogheemraadschap van Rijnland, founded in 1232, is the oldest water authority still in operation, and the Netherlands has become the finest preserved delta in the world.
I also felt the same gentleness from Mr. Venu Rajamony, who was then India's ambassador to the Netherlands, when I visited his office in Hegue. I could see how Dutch culture had an impact on everything and everywhere. I presented "Amsterdaamile Saikkilukal" to him on behalf of Mr. Raju Raphel. I express my sincere appreciation to Thamalika Banerji for her role in facilitating the meeting with the ambassador. The meeting with the ambassador was a continuation of our previous discussion held at Fort Kochi, which has served as a pivotal hub for Dutch shipbuilding and maintained a robust military presence for nearly 112 years.
Although the Dutch left Cochin in 1795 after 130 years of rule, Cochin has a bond with the Dutch that cannot be described in words. Even today, 20% of India's exports to Europe go through the Dutch route. "So the Netherlands, for India, is a gateway to Europe". Collaboration with the Dutch in the fields of Water Management, Agro Processing, Urban Planning, Information Technology, and Tourism co-create sustainable success. I proudly remember my old friend Sanjith, who I once dreamed of cycling long-distance with, working in Amsterdam. Hence, the Netherlands remains as a feeling for me!
Bicycle Thieves of Amsterdam is a true story. Not Travel Fiction. Yes, it is true for me.