Sergey Chekalin speaks to Sunday Style & Stories about finding his way to Pakistan through Urdu, embracing its customs, being mistaken for a Pashtun and challenging the stereotypes that shape how Russians and Pakistanis see one another.
His academic and professional interests brought him to the country, but what began as an interest in language soon evolved into a much deeper connection with Pakistani culture and its people. Today, as Chief of Protocol at the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Pakistan, Chekalin is not only comfortable speaking Urdu, he has become something of a familiar face online, where his fluency, Pakistani attire and distinctly local mannerisms have earned him an enthusiastic following. From drinking karak chai to wearing shalwar kameez and being addressed as “Khan sahib,” Chekalin has embraced parts of Pakistani life with an ease that surprises even him.
What initially brought you to Pakistan?
My field and education are related to Pakistan, and Urdu is part of my area of study. It was something I was genuinely interested in and I used that interest to its full potential. In a way, it feels destined. I first came to Pakistan in 2019 for a conference in Lahore. I enjoyed it immensely, particularly the hospitality. Pakistani people have a very strong culture of welcoming others. I returned in 2020 with a businessman and had the opportunity to show him different parts of the country. Then COVID happened. After the pandemic, I came back in 2024, and since then, I have been here.
Your relationship with Urdu seems to go beyond simply being able to speak it. When did it become a passion?
I didn’t know I would come here, but the language gradually became my passion. My education is connected to this region and I work with translations, particularly political language and terminology, so I became very familiar with it. I speak Urdu fluently and I am proud of it. Now it comes naturally to me. Sometimes I feel I am becoming more accustomed to Urdu than English.
How did you make sure your Urdu sounded natural rather than simply academic?
I speak to people as much as I can and watch Pakistani films because I don’t want to know only the Urdu of books. I want to understand how people actually speak. Even memes teach you something. You pick up expressions, ideas and clues from them. Language is not just grammar and vocabulary; it is also the way people communicate in everyday life.
You have even been mistaken for a Pashtun because of your accent. How does that happen?
Sometimes people hear me speaking on the phone and think I am Pashtun. They even call me “Khan sahib.” My accent has apparently become familiar enough for people to make that assumption. I find it funny, but I also take it as a compliment. It shows how naturally the language has become part of me.
Apart from the language, what Pakistani customs have you picked up?
Many things have become completely natural to me. For example, I have adapted to the concept of coming late. If someone says we will meet at 7, I may start leaving at 7. I also find myself saying “tauba” with the hand gesture. These little things have simply become part of my everyday behavior.
And then there is chai. How serious has your chai habit become?
I love drinking chai. People even joke about how much I drink. I prefer proper karak chai made with fresh, open milk rather than powdered milk. It has become one of those things that I associate strongly with Pakistan.
You also seem to have embraced Pakistani fashion.
Absolutely. Wearing Pakistani clothes was a dream of mine. I love shalwar kameez because it is so comfortable, especially during the summer. Peshawari chappals are also among my favorites. I use a rummal as well, and it has become part of my usual look. I can wear it on my head to protect myself from the heat.
What has surprised you most about Pakistan?
Pakistan is naturally amazing. The northern regions are being explored extensively now, but I feel there is still so much to discover. Lahore has an incredible amount of history, the Multani and Sufi influences, the Mughal era and so much more. I am also fascinated by the ancient civilizations of Mohenjodaro and Harappa.
Is there a part of Pakistan you are still waiting to explore?
There are many places on my list. Because of security concerns, I have not been able to visit Gwadar and Balochistan, but I have a huge wish list. I would also like to explore Karachi and more of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. I want to meet people from all these places, stay with locals and create content with them. Pakistan has so much potential. There are beautiful places where, with better infrastructure and security, we could create amazing tourism opportunities and even luxury hotels.
What is the biggest misconception about Pakistan that you would like to change?
There are many misconceptions, particularly in Russia. Some people associate Pakistan too closely with Afghanistan or assume that the country is defined by conflict. That is simply not the reality I see here. There is also an assumption that Pakistan is extremely polluted, unhygienic or underdeveloped. Islamabad alone challenges many of those perceptions. It is beautiful and clean. There are also many intellectual and educated people here. Pakistan has good schools, universities and professionals. The idea that people are somehow living in a completely undeveloped environment is far from the truth.
Why is changing those perceptions personally important to you?
I want people in Russia to see Pakistan as it really is, rather than only through media reports. And I want Pakistanis to understand that Russian people can also be influenced by media narratives.I want to project a positive image from both sides. I want people to understand that we do not see Pakistanis as inferior or as “ghulam.” We see them as friends.
Do you think the relationship between Russia and Pakistan is changing?
Definitely. After the Soviet era, we did not invest much in Pakistan. In our government’s eyes, Pakistan was not important enough to bring your youth and experts here for training because we did not see enough geopolitical benefit. That is changing now, thanks to people on the Russian side who understand the importance of the relationship, including Russian Ambassador to Pakistan and others who share that vision. There are now opportunities such as scholarships for Pakistani students to study at Russian universities, including bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral levels.
If you could change one thing about how Pakistanis and Russians understand each other, what would it be?
I would like more communication. I want to meet people from different parts of Pakistan, speak to them in their own languages and understand their lives. I believe we can overcome differences through communication. Local languages are beautiful, and people representing their countries should be able to speak them proudly and showcase them to the world.
For Chekalin, that exchange is already happening in his own life. His blond hair and blue eyes may make him instantly recognisable, but his Urdu, shalwar kameez, Peshawari chappals and ever-present chai have made him an unlikely cultural bridge between two countries.Perhaps that is what makes his Pakistani journey so compelling: he came for the language, but stayed for everything the language opened up.
