KFU contributing to 1st TIME Russia-India Forum
The event is being held in Kazan on 8th and 9th October.
India and its languages have been studied at the university since the early 19th century. Last December, Kazan Federal University and the Indian Council for Cultural Relations signed a memorandum of support for the activities of the Center for Indian Studies at the Institute of International Relations, History, and Eastern Studies. A special visiting professor position was established, which Priya Radhakrishnan assumed in September of this year. Her responsibilities include promoting the history, culture, and language of India, organizing events for students, and engaging local schoolchildren in the study of Hindi.
As part of the first day of the event, the unveiling of the center’s symbolic plaque took place. The ceremony was attended by Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of India to the Russian Federation Vinay Kumar, Head of the Tatarstan Investment Development Agency Taliya Minullina, Vice-Rector for International Affairs Timirkhan Alishev, and Chairman of the Center for the Development of Cultural Relations between Tatarstan and India Ishtiaq Ahmad Gilkar.
The forum’s business program includes sessions on key topics: film industry, investment and finance, labor market, education and science, IT and digital technologies, medicine, petrochemical complex, agriculture, media, and creative industries. Bilateral meetings, industrial tours, an exhibition of Tatarstan and Russian enterprises, and Indian tea tastings are also included.
The business portion of the conference began with a plenary session titled Russia and India: Time for Cooperation, Time for the Regions, featuring Vinay Kumar, Tatarstan Prime Minister Alexey Pesoshin, Indian Deputy Minister of Traditional Medicine Rajesh Kotecha, Head of the Business Council for Cooperation with India under the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation, Moscow Government Minister and Head of the Moscow Department of Foreign Economic and International Relations Sergey Cheryomin, Taliya Minullina, and others.
An agreement was signed between KFU and Sberbank on the sidelines of the forum. A memorandum of understanding was also signed between the university and the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad.
“Currently, more than 150 students from India are already studying at Kazan Federal University. This is the highest figure in recent years, and we are confident that this figure will continue to grow. Our scientific cooperation is also actively developing,” emphasized Vice-Rector Timirkhan Alishev. “We hope that Sberbank’s support will significantly increase the intensity of our partnership with our Indian friends.” The agreement is aimed at testing and implementing payment services, organizing and participating in joint events between KFU and Sberbank, implementing joint initiatives to support educational cooperation with India, and other collaborations.
It’s worth noting that before the start of the plenary session, a tour of the exhibition organized as part of the event took place. It showcased developments and products from enterprises of the two countries. Among the exhibitors was the Center for Indian Studies and the Russian Academy of Sciences, with its exhibition Journey Beyond Three Seas —the title of a monument to ancient Russian literature in the form of travel notes written by Afanasy Nikitin during his journey to India in 1471-1474.
Senior Lecturer, Hindi teacher Dmitry Bobkov said that he and his students are joining a session on education and science, where Professor Radhakrishnan is featured.
“India has always been friendly with the Soviet Union, pre-revolutionary Russia, and modern Russia, so the turn to the East continues and intensifies. I feel very positive about this because I love this country and everything Indian – the culture, the food, the people,” Bobkov commented.
Freshwoman Kira Ivanova, speaking to the university press service, noted that the forum venue is very beautiful and colorful, and the Indian-inspired decor immediately immerses one in this unique culture.
“My primary language is Hindi, so I decided to come to learn more about it, interact with native speakers, and practice my international communication skills. Indian culture is ancient, and it has influenced the development of many other cultures,” the student said.
On the second day of the business forum, events continue at the Institute.
“Many of our students are studying India as a region, the Hindi language, and the fields of Asian and African studies, international relations, and international regional studies. A youth roundtable discussion will be held for them, including a presentation by the Center for Indian Studies, a talk by a visiting professor, and a public lecture by Marat Galiullin dedicated to the work of Mahatma Gandhi. There will also be quizzes and master classes on the Hindi language and culture, which both our students and event participants are welcome to attend,” said Elmira Khabibullina, Dean of the Higher School of Eastern Studies.