From Corn Island to New Delhi: Ambassador of Nicaragua H.E. Ms. Nadeska Imara Cuthbert Carlson Meets Uthan Youth Parliament

 New Delhi | 26 October 2026

Lokesh Chugh, Founder of Unnati Foundation, and the Uthan Youth Parliament team present a memento to H.E. Ms. Nadeska Imara Cuthbert Carlson, Ambassador of Nicaragua to India, at the Embassy of Nicaragua, New Delhi.

The Uthan Youth Parliament team, led by Lokesh Chugh, Founder of Unnati Foundation, had the honour of meeting H.E. Ms. Nadeska Imara Cuthbert Carlson, Ambassador of the Republic of Nicaragua to India, at the Embassy of Nicaragua in New Delhi.

We walked in expecting a formal courtesy call. We walked out after a warm, open conversation about an island childhood, a close-knit family, the food of home and a career that has taken her from local government to diplomacy across three continents.

An Island Beginning

Ambassador Cuthbert was born in 1986 on Great Corn Island, a small island in the Caribbean Sea off Nicaragua’s eastern coast. Corn Island is a place of white-sand beaches, fishing boats and a tight-knit community where everyone knows everyone.

She spoke to us about her early years there and what it meant to grow up in such a close community, far from the capital. For our team, many of whom come from big, busy cities, it was a reminder that leadership can begin anywhere, including on a small island in the Caribbean.

Family at the Heart of It All

Family came up again and again as she spoke. She talked about the people who raised and supported her, and the role her family has played at every step of her journey. It was clear that home and family remain her anchor, even as her work takes her across the world.

Her family story also has a sporting chapter: her brother, Cheslor Cuthbert, played professional baseball in the United States’ Major League Baseball. One family, one small island, and two very different paths onto the international stage.

The Journey to Ambassador

The Ambassador studied Business Administration and International Business at John Brown University in the United States. Her public service began at home: from 2018 to 2024 she served as Deputy Mayor of Corn Island, working directly with the community she grew up in.

In 2024 she moved into diplomacy as Nicaragua’s first ambassador to Zimbabwe. She was later also accredited to Malawi, Rwanda, Burundi and Zambia. In May 2026 she was appointed Ambassador to India, and on 6 July 2026 she presented her credentials to the President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu, at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

She walked us through that journey: the move from local government to international diplomacy, the learning that comes with representing your country abroad, and the responsibility of opening new doors between nations. Our delegates spend their weekends drafting resolutions and defending positions on the floor of a simulated House. Hearing from someone who has done this for real, from municipal government to three continents, was the highlight of the evening.

A Taste of Home

No conversation about home is complete without food. The Ambassador shared her favourite flavours with us, and the conversation quickly turned into a cultural exchange. Nicaragua’s Caribbean coast is known for fresh seafood, coconut bread and rondón, a rich coconut stew. Our team, of course, made sure to share the best of Indian food in return. If there is one universal language of diplomacy, it is food.

A Token of Gratitude

Lokesh Chugh, Founder of Unnati Foundation, with H.E. Ms. Nadeska Imara Cuthbert Carlson, Ambassador of Nicaragua to India.

To close the meeting, Lokesh Chugh and the team presented the Ambassador with a memento on behalf of Uthan Youth Parliament and Unnati Foundation, as a small thank-you for her time, her stories and her encouragement. Unnati Foundation has powered Uthan since its first season in 2018, and moments like this one are what that work is all about.

All smiles and thumbs up: the women of the Uthan team with Ambassador Cuthbert. Diplomacy check, girl power check. Happens only in Uthan.

Why This Meeting Matters to Us

Uthan has always been about one idea: young people deserve a real seat at the table. Since January 2018, Uthan Youth Parliament has brought students into a full simulation of the Indian Parliament and the world’s committees, where they draft it, defend it and vote on it, with Members of Parliament and senior civil servants as judges.

Ambassador Cuthbert’s journey from a small island to a seat at the diplomatic table is the kind of story we want every delegate to see as possible. Meeting a woman who now represents her country across Africa and Asia was especially inspiring for the many young women on our team. We are grateful to her for sharing her story so openly.

All Set for Season 8: Anaahata

This visit comes as we prepare for Season 8 of Uthan Youth Parliament, Anaahata, on 24–25 April 2027.

• Who can take part: Students from Grade 6 and above, from schools and colleges across India
• Venue: Revealing soon
• Registrations: Opening soon

Fit check. Stage is set. Diplomacy check. Girl power check.
When voices rise, the nation listens.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to H.E. Ms. Nadeska Imara Cuthbert Carlson and the Embassy of the Republic of Nicaragua in India for their warm hospitality.

👉 Want a seat at Season 8? Follow @uthan_youth_parliament on Instagram and Uthan Youth Parliament on LinkedIn, and visit unnati9.in/uthan for updates.