Shashi Tharoor

adj. 1 having many syllables; 2 given to or characterized by the use of long words

His sesquipedalian eloquence delights audiences who cherish the full grandeur of the English language.

adj. sweetly flowing; pleasant to the ear

The mellifluous cadence of his oratory transforms even policy debates into literary experiences.

adj. having keen judgment or understanding

A perspicacious observer of geopolitics, he anticipates shifts others overlook entirely.

adj. talking or tending to talk much or freely

Unapologetically loquacious, he believes every idea deserves its fullest and most articulate expression.

adj. of an encomiast of or like an encomium; eulogistic

His encomiastic tribute to India's civilizational legacy moved the Oxford Union to a standing ovation.

n. 1 a person taking part in a conversation or dialogue; 2 the performer in the middle of a minstrel line who engages the others in talk

As a skilled interlocutor, he draws out the finest arguments from even the most reticent diplomats.

able to carry or produce light

Literature, he argues, is luminiferous — it carries light into corners where politics cannot reach.

someone who teaches themselves, often outside a traditional school setting

His autodidactic curiosity has led him from Sanskrit poetics to postcolonial theory with equal fluency.

adj. composed or performed on the spur of the moment with little or no planning.

His extemporaneous speeches rival carefully scripted addresses, flowing with precision and rhetorical grace.

relating to the combination of different beliefs or practices

India's civilization has always been syncretic, weaving diverse faiths into a radiant cultural tapestry.

adj. 1 of or relating to going from place to place especially on foot 2 of; relating to; or given to walking; moving or traveling from place to place itinerant

A peripatetic intellectual, he carries his ideas from Geneva to Thiruvananthapuram with equal conviction.

adj. having great bulk or volume; ample

His voluminous bibliography reflects a mind that refuses to confine itself to any single discipline.

adj. speaking in or characterized by a pompous or bombastic style

Critics call it grandiloquent; he calls it simply doing justice to the magnificence of the subject.

a tendency to talk excessively and in a disorganized way

Even routine debates become captivating when his logorrheic eloquence turns simple discourse into linguistic artistry.

a person who engages in a conversation or dialogue

A refined collocutor, he elevates every exchange with wit, depth, and a command of language that captivates his audience.