Madhur Kankana Roy, Director of the Jawaharlal Nehru Cultural Center at the Embassy of India: “It’s a great honor to visit Kazan Federal University – one of the oldest universities in Russia”

The Director, who arrived in Kazan for the XVI BRICS Summit, visited Kazan Federal University on 22 October.

Vice-Rector for International Affairs Timirkhan Alishev, Director of the International Office Olga Vershinina, Deputy Director for International Affairs of the Institute of International Relations, History and Eastern Studies (IIRHES) Svetlana Takhtarova, Dean of the School of Eastern Studies Elmira Habibullina, Chair of the Department of Arabic Studies, Islamic Studies and African and Asian Studies Nailya Mingazova took part in the meeting with the university administration.

Timirkhan Alishev told the guest about Kazan University. Presenting the university, he noted that 138 Indian citizens will study at KFU in 2024/2025 academic year, 7 of them on Russian government scholarships. The Vice-Rector also informed about the interaction of Kazan University with scientific and educational centers of the Republic of India.

A video about IIRHES was shown at the event. Hindi language is studied here by students of history, anthropology and ethnology, linguistics, as well as at the Center for Indian Studies, opened with the support of the Embassy of India in the Russian Federation.

During the meeting it was noted that two students from CHRIST University (India) visited KFU in July of this year – they became participants of the Summer University, which is implemented by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation in cooperation with universities.

The meeting touched upon the issues of cooperation. In particular, the preparation of a memorandum of understanding with the Indian Council for Cultural Relations was discussed.

Speaking about the development of international relations, Dr Alishev emphasized that negotiations are underway to invite a native Hindi-speaking Indian teacher to KFU. The Jawaharlal Nehru Cultural Center provides support in this matter.

“I hope that at the end of November we will sign an agreement and a professor from India will come here in January to teach Hindi, as well as the history and culture of this country. Today about 50 students of KFU study Hindi. We have one Russian-speaking teacher of this language at the university,” the Vice-Rector noted.

According to him, the opening of the Consulate General of India in Kazan is expected in the near future, which will contribute to strengthening our ties with this country.

“Next year we are planning to hold days of Indian culture, and we have several exhibitions dedicated to India planned together with our partners,” he said.

Madhur Kankana Roy, who also visited the Kazan University History Museum and Lenin Memorial Classroom, was very happy with the visit.

“I am honored to be at Kazan University, one of the oldest universities in Russia. Great thinkers whose ideas influenced the whole world studied here. I was lucky enough to sit at the desks where Vladimir Lenin and Leo Tolstoy sat in the memorial classroom. Perhaps it was here, at Kazan University, that their great ideas were born,” she said.

The Director expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to get acquainted with the university and its historical heritage.