New Delhi, Sept. 26 -- As his tenure as Bangladesh High Commissioner to India draws to a close, Riaz Hamidullah has reflected on his three-and-a-half-decade association with India, recalling his first stint as a student at Aligarh Muslim University and stressing the importance of engaging with people beyond state-to-state relations.

Speaking about his journey in India, Hamidullah said his first exposure to the country came in September 1990, when he arrived as a young student and stayed at a hostel at Aligarh Muslim University.

"When I came 35 years ago, in September 1990, as a young student, I stayed in a hostel at Aligarh Muslim University. That afforded me a great opportunity to understand India and to mingle with people from differe...