Thiruvananthapuram (Keralam): As India's BRICS engagement concluded on Sunday, 36 content creators from BRICS member and partner countries are exploring Kerala during a three-day visit. They are experiencing the state's culture, food, colours and everyday life while documenting their impressions for audiences back home.

Travelling together, the creators are experiencing India beyond its formal diplomatic setting and sharing their impressions through social media.
Creators meet V D Satheesan

On Monday, the social media influencers from 19 BRICS member and partner nations met Kerala Chief Minister V D Satheesan at Cliff House in Thiruvananthapuram.

Satheesan said he shared the "real Kerala Story" with the visitors, highlighting the state's 600-km coastline, biodiverse Western Ghats and its emergence as a global investment hub.

Satheesan also spoke about Keralam's literacy and digital literacy achievements and efforts to attract legacy universities, describing the state as a model of sustainable and inclusive development.

Creators experience Kerala's traditional arts

The delegation visited the Kerala Arts & Crafts Village in Kovalam, where they explored traditional arts and crafts, interacted with local artists and captured their experiences for social media platforms.

Speaking to ANI, several creators praised Kerala's culture, food and hospitality, describing their experiences as memorable.

Iman, a content creator from Egypt based in Saudi Arabia, said this was her second visit to Kerala and described the state's culture as "amazing".

"It's more than amazing. I am in love with the Kerala culture. Yes, it is not the first time for me in Kerala. It is, I think, the second time," she said.

She also said traditional sadhya was her favourite food, particularly during Onam.

'Best ever thali': Chinese creator praises Kerala hospitality

Jamie, a content creator from China, said she was overwhelmed by the welcome she received in Kerala. She recalled having a traditional thali featuring 32 dishes and described the experience as special.

"I had the best ever thali in my life. It was so good. Like a mixture of different things. We ate 32 dishes together, and here we received warm welcome. People are playing drums for us, having this special ceremony. Everything feels so special," she said.

Jamie said she was making videos to tell her Chinese friends about India and encourage them to experience the country's hospitality.
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Banana-leaf meal leaves Malaysian creator impressed

Shah, a content creator from Malaysia, described Kerala as beautiful and praised the warmth of its people and the hospitality he received.

He also spoke about a regional food experience in which he ate food served on a banana leaf.

"Oh my god, it was so beautiful. You know, people here are so warm, and the hospitality here was so great. We had a regional food experience where we ate on the banana leaf. It was so delicious," he said.

Nigerian creator finds similarities with local cuisine

Abdul Hafeez from Nigeria described India's hospitality as "one of a kind" and said he had experienced the country's culture and food from New Delhi to Kerala.

He said the food in Kerala had some similarities with Nigerian cuisine, while still offering a distinct experience.

"Every part of India has its own speciality. In Kerala here, it's colourful, it's a lot cultural, and it's a bit warmer with the people; you know, connecting with the people here is, I feel like I'm in Nigeria right now," Hafeez said.

Hindi cinema inspires Ethiopian creator

Qasim Makka from Ethiopia said he had watched Hindi films since childhood, with stars such as Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan, Salman Khan, Akshay Kumar and Amitabh Bachchan inspiring him to learn Hindi.

He said attending the BRICS Summit fulfilled a childhood dream after more than 20 years of effort.

"I have been watching Hindi movies on my satellite TV since childhood; stars like Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan, Salman Khan, Akshay Kumar, and Amitabh Bachchan are all inspirations to us," he said.

Makka said his interest in Hindi cinema eventually led him to take up translation work involving Hindi movies. He continues to create social media content about Hindi films.
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Creators describe India visit as a 'dream come true'

Sultan from Kazakhstan also praised India's beauty and Kerala's culture and food.

Rahina Muhammad from Nigeria described her India visit as a dream come true and praised the hospitality she experienced after arriving in Kerala.

She spoke about experiencing traditional dining, including eating rice and other dishes by hand.

On BRICS, Rahina said the grouping represented countries coming together for unity and peace.

"From the name BRICS, you could know that it's a combination of countries coming together to form unity, peace. From what I've seen, we've seen a lot of leaders come to the country already," she said.

Uganda creator says India changed his perception

Derek Sanyonya from Uganda said his experience in India had changed his perception of the country.

He highlighted India's people, history, monuments, art, culture and hospitality as major aspects of his visit.

"I think I had known India, I had the idea of India, but I feel like people were misrepresenting it. What I've seen, what I've experienced, the people, the kids, oh my goodness. Everyone is smiling wherever you go," he said.

Sanyonya also praised the hospitality at Indian hotels, describing it as "top notch".

He said India's hosting of the BRICS Summit had made a significant mark and expressed optimism about the future of the grouping.