Abul Kalam Azad Oriental Research Institute.-This institute is financed by the Department of Culture for research in history, philosophy, culture, languages and other allied areas of study. It receives an annual grant of Rs. 18,000.

B. PROPAGATION OF CULTURE

Institutions and Organisations Engaged in Literary and Cultural Activities.-The Department of Culture has been assisting some important institutions like the Institute of Traditional Culture, Madras, Asiatic Society, Calcutta, Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan, Bombay, Numismatic Society of India, Varanasi, PEN All-India Centre, Bombay, Islamic Culture Board, Hyderabad, and Jallianwala Bagh Memorial Trust, Amritsar. The working of the institutions like Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture, Calcutta, Asiatic Society, Calcutta, and Indian Academy of Philosophy, Calcutta was reviewed by the visiting committees and they are being financed according to the reports of the visiting committees.

Financial Assistance to Professional Dance-Drama and Theatre Ensembles.-The objective of the scheme is to provide help to performing troupes in the country which have been working in the field through purely voluntary efforts over the last 10 to 15 years. 16 dance-drama and, theatre groups were in receipt of grants under the scheme during the year.

Building Grants to Voluntary Cultural Organisations.- Under this scheme, a number of cultural organisations primarily working in the cultural fields of dance, drama, music, fine arts, indology, literature, (other than religious institutions), public libraries, museums, municipalities, schools and universities, were selected for grants for construction purposes and purchase of equipment during the year.

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Scheme of Inter-State Exchange of Cultural Troupes.-The Department of Culture revived this scheme and had it included in the Fifth Five-Year Plan. Its implementation started from 1975-76. Its object is to enable people from different parts of India to know more about the culture of different regions and thereby promote emotional and cultural integration of the country. Under it, selected troupes of performing artistes visit States other than their own. The programme chalked out at the second conference of the liaison officers of the various State Governments/Union Territory Administrations, included visit of about 28 troupes during the year.

Assistance to Voluntary Orgnisations for Promotion of Indian Languages.-During the year about 85 organisations/individuals were given grants totalling Rs. 4 lakh under the scheme. About 4500 books in Urdu, English, Marathi, Bengali, Malayalam and Oriya were purchased. Financial assistance was also granted for running an Urdu Typing/Shorthand Centre for teaching South-Indian languages in Uttar Pradesh and Urdu in Kerala. Besides, there is a provision of Rs. 1 lakh for giving financial assistance to Anjuman Taraqqi-e-Urdu Hind, New Delhi for general maintenance, its library and for developing Urdu language and culture.

Financial Assistance for Persons Distinguished in Letters, Arts and Such Other Walks of Life in indigent Circumstances.It is actually a continuance of the 1961 scheme that remained suspended from 1969-70. It was reactivised from 1975-76 so as to accommodate fresh cases and also enhancing the amount being received by old grantees. The expenditure is shared by the Central Government and the State Government in the ratio of 2: 1. The entire expenditure in respect of cases from Union Territories is borne by the Central Government. Financial assistance up to, Rs. 200 p.m. is granted under the scheme to such persons as are above 58 years of age and whose monthly income is below Rs. 400 p.m. About 430 persons were in receipt of assistance under it during the year.

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Fellowships for Outstanding Artists in the Fields of Performing, Literary and Plastic Arts.-This scheme provides for two types of fellowships : senior fellowship of Rs. 1000 per month and junior fellowship of Rs. 500 p.m. for outstanding artists in the age-group of 26-60 for either very advanced training or individual creative efforts. The number of fellowships in the former category is four and in the latter eight. Fellowships are awarded by a selection committee under the chairmanship of the Education Minister.

Propagation of Culture among College and School Students.The objective of the scheme is to expose teachers and students to the variegated facets of Indian cultural heritage. During the period under report, six orientation courses were organised for the teachers and teacher-educators at Bombay, Delhi, Lucknow, Goa and Chandigarh. About 300 teachers attended these courses. Besides, a special course was organised in Delhi for training selected persons drawn from different States as course-organisers.

Scholarships for Young Workers in Different Cultural Fields.Under the scheme, 50 scholarships are awarded every year, to young artists of outstanding promise in the age-group of 18-28 years for advanced training within India in, the fields of Hindustani music, Karnatak music, Western classical music, classical forms of Indian dances, traditional theatre, drama, painting and sculpture. The value of a scholarship is Rs. 300 p.m. The duration of the scholarship is two years. In exceptional cases, the scholarship is extended by another year 50 scholarships were awarded under this scheme during 1976. Applications received in response to advertisement for award of 50 scholarships for 1977 were being scrutinised.

Cultural Talent Search Scholarships Scheme.-This is a Plan scheme under which facilities are provided to outstanding young children of the age-group 10-14 years, studying in recognised schools, to develop their talents in various cultural fields, namely, traditional forms of Indian dances, music, and theatre as well as painting and sculpture. Up to hundred scholarships are awarded

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every year out of which 25 are reserved for children belonging to Gharanas' and 'Sampradayas.' The scholarships are granted on year-to- year basis till the completion of secondary stage of education by the awardees or up to the age of 18 years, whichever is earlier. The value of a scholarship is Rs. 600 per annum, but where the child is 2required to shift to a new station for purpose of specialised training in the approved fields, the value is increased to Rs. 1,200 per annum. In both cases, the actual tuition fees paid for the specialised training is reimbursed to the scholarship-holder. 76 scholarships were awarded during the year, and 24 more were under consideration. The scheme for the award of scholarships for 1977 was circulated among all State Governments and Union Territory Administrations and they were making preliminary selections in their respective States.

C. CENTENARY CELEBRATIONS

During the period under report, the following important prog- rammes of centenary celebrations were undertaken :

Birth Centenary of Saratchandra Chatterjee.-The birth centenary of Saratchandra Chatterjee fell on 17th September, 1976. To celebrate the occasion in A befitting manner, a year-long programme of celebrations of his centenary is being observed from 17th September, 1976 to 16th September, 1977 by holding seminars, exhibitions, special programmes on Radio, TV, etc. A commemorative postal stamp on Saratchandra Chatterjee was also released on September 15, 1976 by the DG P & T. All the State Governments and UT Administrations were requested to celebrate the occasion in a suitable manner.

Celebration of the 2600th Birth Anniversary of Lord Buddha.-The 2600th Birth Anniversary of Lord Buddha fell on 13th May, 1976. In view of the historic importance of the occasion, it was decided to celebrate the occasion in a befitting manner for a period of one year commencing from 13th May, 1976 at the national and State levels by organising exhibitions, seminars and bringing out publications, etc. It was also proposed to hold an International Seminar on Buddhism's Contribution to World

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Culture and Civilisation, in Delhi, sometime during the Anniversary year. The seminar would be organised by the Mahabodhi Society of India in cooperation with the Government of India.

Birth Centenary of Ananda K. Coomaraswamy.-It was decided to observe the centenary of the birth of Ananda K. Coomaraswamy, an eminent linguist, philosopher and art historian' during the year 1976- 77 by organising suitable programme befitting the occasion, such as exhibitions, lecture programmes, seminars, a commemorative volume, etc. An exhibition on Coomaraswamy's paintings and works was organised by the Lalit Kala Akademi in collaboration with the National Museum in August, 1976.

Birth 'Centenary Celebrations of the Mother.-In connection with the celebrations of the Birth Centenary of the Mother which falls in February 1978, a Working Group was set up to chalk out the plan of action under the chairmanship of Shri Kireet Joshi, Educational Adviser in the Ministry.

The first meeting of the Working Group was held on 24th April, 1976 when a number of programmes were recommended for consideration.

D. GAZETTEERS

District Gazetteers.-The scheme on the Revision of District Gazetteers was taken up by all State Governments and Union Territory Administrations. The drafts of 252 district gazetteers were completed, of which 243 were approved for publication.

Gazetteer of India : Out of the proposed four volumes of the Gazetteer of India, Vol. I : Country and People, Vol. II : History and Culture and Vol. III. Economic Structure and Activities were published. Vol. IV : Administration and Public Welfare, the last volume in the series was under print. It is expected to be published shortly. As all the copies of Volume I were sold out, its reprint was brought out. Some of the chapters of

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this volume such as People, Languages and Physiography which have a wider public appeal, were also brought out separately in the form of booklets.

Revision of State Gazetteers.-It was decided to publish one State Gazetteer for each State. The State Gazetteers are intended to replace the, Provincial Gazetteers brought out during the British period.

Supplements to District Gazetteers.-The Supplements to District Gazetteers will update some of the material particularly economic data in the District Gazetteers which have become outdated. The supplements will be brought out in respect of those District Gazetteers which were published about 10 years back.

Who's Who of Indian Martyrs.-The project of 'Who's of Indian Martyrs' was completed and all its three volumes were published.

E. CULTURAL AGREEMENTS AND EXCHANGE PROGRAMMES AND BILATERAL CULTURAL ACTIVITIES

Cultural Agreements.-The following cultural agreements were concluded during the year :

(i) A Cultural Agreement between the Government of the Republic of India and the Government of Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan was signed on 15th February, 1976 at Amman. The Agreement was signed by Shri S.K. Singh, Ambassador, on behalf of the Government of India and by H.E. Mr. Zuqan Al-Hindawi, Minister of Education, on behalf of the Government of Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Negotiations for the ratification of the agreement were afoot.

(ii) The Indo-Algerian Cultural agreement was signed on 1st June, 1976 at Algiers. The Agreement was signed by Shri Y. B. Chavan, Minister for External Affairs, on behalf of the Republic of India, and by Mr. Abdel Aziz Bouteflika, the Algerian Foreign Minister, on behalf of the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria. The Agreement was ratified. According to

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Article 10 of the Agreement, proposals were invited from the Indian agencies for formulating a Cultural Exchange Programme.

(iii) A Cultural Agreement between the Government of the Republic of India and the Government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea was signed in New Delhi on July 2, 1976. It was signed by Shri K. N. Channa, Secretary, Ministry of Education and Social Welfare and the Department of Culture, on behalf of the Government of India and Mr. Yu Song Jin, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, on behalf of the, Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

(iv) A Cultural Agreement between India and Cuba was signed by Shri K. N. Channa, Secretary, Ministry of Education and Social Welfare and the Department of Culture, on behalf of the Government of India and by H.E. Dr. Jose Lopez Sanchez, the Cuban Ambassador in India, on behalf of his Government in the presence of Prof. S. Nurul Hasan, Education Minister and H.E. Dr. Zoilo Marinello, President of the Cuban Academy of Sciences and Member of the Central Committee of Cuba.

(v) A Cultural Agreement was signed between the Government of India and the Government of the Kingdom of Lesotho on 5th October, 1976, at Maseru. The Agreement was signed by the Deputy Foreign Minister on behalf of the Government of the Republic of India, and by the Minister of Foreign Affairs on behalf of the Government of the Kingdom of Lesotho.

(vi) A Cultural Agreement between India and Italy was signed at Rome on 9th November, 1976 by Smt. K. Rukmini Menon, Indian Ambassador, on behalf of the Republic of India and by Mr. Arnalso Forlani, Italian Foreign Minister, on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Italy.

(vii) A Cultural Agreement Between the government of the Republic of India and the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam was signed in Hanoi on 18th December.

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1976. It was signed by Mr. Chinmaya Rajaninath Gharekhan, Ambassador of India, on behalf of the Government of the Republic of India and Mr. Yu Quoe Uy, on behalf of the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

These Agreements envisage strengthening of relations with other countries in the fields of art and culture, education, including academic activity in the field of science and technology, sports, mass media of information, public health, etc. The Cultural Agreements pave the way for regular Cultural Exchange Programmes between India and the concerned countries comprising exchanges of visits of professors, writers, artists, grant of scholarships for higher studies, exchange of books, publications, art exhibitions, etc.

Cultural Exchange Programmes.-A number of cultural exchange programmes were finalised during the year :

(1) Indo-Romanian Cultural Exchange Programme for the years 1976, 1977 and 1978 was signed on 24th May, 1976, at New Delhi.

(2) Indo-Czechoslovak Cultural Exchange Programme for the years 1976, 1977 and 1978 was signed on 29th July, 1976, at Prague.

(3) Indo-GDR Cultural Exchange Programme for the years 1976-77 was signed on 5th August, 1976 at Berlin.

(4) Indo-USSR Cultural Exchange Programme for the years 1976, 1977 and 1978 was signed on 24th September, 1976 at New Delhi.

(5) Indo-Iraqi Cultural Exchange Programme for the years 1976 and 1977 was signed on 15th January, 1976 at New Delhi.

(6) Indo-Belgium Cultural Exchange Programme for the years 1976 and 1977 was signed at Brussels on 26th February, 1976.

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(7) Indo-Turkish Cultural Exchange Programme for the years 1976 and 1977 was signed on 2nd March, 1976, at Ankara.

(8) Indo-Hungarian Cultural Exchange Programme for the years 1976, 1977 and 1978 was signed on 26th August, 1976 at New Delhi.

(9) Indo-Mexican Cultural Exchange Programme for the period between 1st September, 1976 to 31st August, 1978 was signed on 19th August, 1976 at Platelolco.

(10) Indo-Senegal Cultural Exchange Programme for the years 1976, 1977 and 1978 was signed on 14th September, 1976 at New Delhi.

(11) Indo-People's Democratic Republic of Yemen Cultural Exchange Programme for the years 1976, 1977 and 1978 was signed on 15th November, 1976, at New Delhi.

Cultural Delegations (Incoming).-To promote mutual understanding and goodwill and to foster closer relations with foreign countries, a number of cultural delegations and art exhibitions are invited to visit India every year under the various Indo-foreign cultural exchange programmes and the Cultural Activities Programme of the Department of Culture.

The cultural delegations invited to visit India from foreign countries consist of performing delegations, non-performing dele- gations like educationists, officials, musicians, writers, painters, scholars, indologists, etc., and art exhibitions comprising paintings, theatre art, photographs, graphic arts, posters, etc.

Till December 15, 1976, 10 cultural delegations (5 performing, and 5 art exhibitions) visited India under the various programmes. In addition, the Minister of Youth and Sports from Mauritius, the Minister of Higher Education from Senegal, the Education minister from Hungary, the Minister of Culture from Czechoslovakia sod the Secretary of State, Ministry of Culture, GDR, also visited India during this period.

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Performing groups and ensembles-two from GDR and one each from USSR, Bulgaria and Yugoslavia visited the country and gave performances during this period.

Five art exhibitions from Afghanistan, USSR, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia and Hungary were also held during the period.

During the period between December 16, 1976 and March 31, 1977, the Minister of Culture from Burma, the Deputy Prime Minister for Social Development and Services from the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Director General of Cultural Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from Turkey, the Federal Minister of Education and Science from the FRG, the Education Minister from the FRG, and the Education Minister from the USSR were expected to visit the country. In addition, 7 cultural delegations (4 performing-one each from USSR, Thailand, Australia and Poland and 3 art exhibitions-one each from Czechoslovakia, France and Turkey) were also expected to visit India.

It was decided in January, 1915 that the Department of Culture would look after the visits of VIP's like Ministers of Education and Culture, performing troupes and art exhibitions from abroad and the ICCR would look after the individual/ non-performing delegations from abroad in the fields of art, culture and literature on behalf of and with financial assistance from the Department of Culture. The decision was implemented with effect from 1975-76. Hence, during the current financial year up to 15th December, 1976, 9 individual/non- performing cultural delegations (2 from Nepal and one each from GDR, FRG, Sri Lanka, Mongolia, Poland, Czechoslovakia and Afghanistan) were handled by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations on behalf of the Department of Culture. 10-15 more individual/non-performing cultural delegations from USSR, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria France, Hungary, Romania, ARE, Iran, Belgium. Bangladesh, Australia, Japan, Mauritius, Iraq and Turkey were expected to visit India during the remaining period of the year, to be handled by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations.