India loves preaching sanskaar, dharma, and “respect for elders”… until it comes to practicing the very basics. One viral moment—Anjana Om Kashyap and Geeta Mohan casually sitting cross-legged in front of Vladimir Putin—has sparked a nationwide cringe-fest. At a time when every gesture in diplomatic spaces is scrutinized, two senior journalists managed to turn a high-value interview into a posture problem that’s now snowballing into a national embarrassment.
1. When Journalism Met Casual Chai Stall Energy
The posture wasn’t “relaxed.” It wasn’t “modern.” It wasn’t “assertive journalism.”
It was casual chai-stall sitting in front of one of the world’s most influential heads of state. A moment that required dignity and gravitas instead became a snapshot of sloppy informality.
2. Cross-Legged in a Diplomatic Setting? A Cultural Facepalm
India never misses a chance to sermonize about respect. But here, in front of a global leader, two top media faces sat like they were waiting for samosas. Forget diplomacy — even at home, parents would give side-eye for this level of casualness in front of an elder.
3. The Optics Were Bad. The Message Was Worse.
Pictures matter. Posture matters. Body language always matters.
The image didn’t say “confident journalists.”
It said:
“We didn’t even bother to carry ourselves professionally.”
In a world where every clip becomes a clipbait moment, this was a blunder broadcasting itself.
4. Journalism Has Many Flaws. Basic Manners Shouldn’t Be One.
You can debate bias, tone, political alignment, questioning style — fine.
But sitting posture?
This is not rocket science. This is home-training, basic etiquette, and common sense rolled into one. And both journalists fumbled spectacularly.
5. indian Media’s Dignity Isn’t Lost in Debates — It’s Lost in Moments Like These
The decline of journalistic seriousness isn’t just in sensationalism or shouting matches. It’s in the gradual erosion of basic professionalism.
A moment before Putin…
A chance to represent the country…
And we got crossed legs and crossed expectations.
6. Preaching culture Is Easy. Practicing culture Is Hard, Apparently.
Every evening studios blast sermons about “Indian values,” “respect,” and “our civilizational ethos.”
But when the moment came to practice even 1% of that on a global stage?
Poof — gone.
Culture for TRPs, not for conduct.
7. Mics Were Loud. Manners Were Missing.
Journalists can argue complex geopolitics for hours.
But today, the entire nation is asking a much simpler question:
“How hard is it to sit properly?”
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