 EXTERNAL CULTURAL RELATIONS

The Government of India consider the programmes of cultural relations with other countries as activities of prime importance and basic need in furthering the aims and objects of the nation's policy in the international sphere. To achieve this end, a cultural activities programme, designed to promote mutual understanding and goodwill and to foster closer relations with foreign countries, is drawn up each year in consultation with the Ministry of External Affairs and the concerned Indian missions abroad. Multifarious in nature, the programmes comprise activities like exchange of delegations of artists. students and scholars, exchange of publications, exhibitions and art objects, presentation of books, deputation of Indian teachers for service abroad, participation in international congresses and conferences, bilateral cultural agree- ments between governments, construction and maintenance of international students houses and hostels, creation of Chairs of Indian Studies in other countries and assisting in the translation and publication of Indian classics into foreign languages and vice versa. At non-governmental level, a significant part of such activities is carried on by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, an autonomous organisation, financed by the Ministry. The ever-increasing number of nations desirous of having cultural contacts with India bears out the fact that all these activities are yielding positive results.

A. ACTIVITIES OF THE MINISTRY

2. The activities of the Ministry in respect of cultural relations with other countries were undertaken during the period on a subdued scale in the light of the prevailing national emergency and financial stringency particularly of foreign exchange. The approved programme limit was curtailed down to Rs. 30,37,600 from the original target of Rs. 39,29,500. An account of such activities following the approved programme is given in the paragraphs that follow.

3. Cultural Agreements.-A cultural agreement between India and Afghanistan was signed at Kabul on 4th October, 1963. Prof. Humayun Kabir, Minister of the erstwhile Ministry of Scientific Research and Cultural Affairs signed on behalf of the Government of India and His Excellency Dr. Ali Ahmad Popal, Minister for Education of the Royal Government of Afghanistan signed on behalf of Afghanistan. The Agreement envisages closer relations and cooperation in the fields of culture, education and science.

3.2 Cultural agreements with Bulgaria and Hungary were ratified at Sofia and Budapest respectively on 26th August, 1963 and 25th April, 1963.

3.3 India has now cultural agreements with 17 countries, namely, Afghanistan, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Greece, Hungary, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Japan, Mongolia, Norway, Poland, Rumania, Turkey, the United Arab Republic, the USSR and Yugoslavia.

3.4 Arising out of the provisions of the respective cultural agreements, with the USSR, Hungary and Poland, three Indo-foreign joint committees,

namely, the Indo-Soviet Joint Committee, Indo-Hungarian Commission and the Indo-Polish Commission will be meeting in New Delhi during the months of January-March, 1964 to finalise and sign protocols in respect of the cultural exchange plans for execution during 1964 and 1965.

4. Delegations To Other Countries.-Indian delegations were sponsored during the year by the Government in various fields on different occasions with specific objectives. An account of such delegations sent to various other countries is given in the following paragraphs.

4.2. Afghanistan : An Indian contingent consisting of 16 musicians and dancers under the leadership of Shri Satyendra Narain Sinha, Education Minister, Bihar, was sent to Kabul to participate in the Afghan Jashan Celebrations 1963, at the invitation of the Royal Afghan Government.

4.3. Bulgaria : Little Ballet Troupe visited Bulgaria and gave some performances there.

4.4. Ceylon : (1) Prof. S. K. Saraswati of Calcutta University visited Ceylon from July 18-28, 1963 and delivered lectures in some universities in Ceylon. (2) Three eminent Indian authors, namely, Jainendar Kumar, B. B. Borkar and K. V. Jagannathan were sent to Colombo to participate in the Sahitya Day Celebrations.

4.5. Indonesia : Swami Ranganathananda, Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Calcutta, visited Indonesia on the occasion of Swami Vivekananda's Birth Anniversary Celebrations in December, 1963.

4.6. Lebanon : Little Ballet Troupe consisting of 25 members visited Lebanon to give performances on the occasion if the inauguration of the Threatre der Liban.

4.7. Malaya and Singapore : The Kalakshetra. Troupe of Adyar, Madras, consisting of 18 members led by Smt. Rukmini Devi Arundale was sent to participate in the South-East Asia Cultural Festival, held in Singapore. The Troupe also gave performances in various parts of Malaya.

4.8. Nepal: A five-member delegation consisting of eminent Hindi poets, namely, Shri Dev Raj Dinesh, Shri Ramavtar Tayagi, Shri Shyam Narain Pandey, Shri Sohan Lal Dwivedi and Smt. Shanti Mahrotra, visited Nepal in June, 1963. (2) Smt. Girija Devi, vocalist and Shri Nikhil Banerji, sitarplayer, visited Kathmandu to participate in the Indian Independence Day Celebrations there. (3) The `Krishna Leela' Ballet of Natya Ballet Centre, Delhi, visited Nepal for two weeks during the month of November, 1963.

4.9. Pakistan: Dr. K. Satchitanand Murthy, Professor of Philosophy and Religion, Andhra University, Waltair, and Prof. Jamal Khawaja of Aligarh University, participated in the 10th Annual Session of the Pakistan Philosophical Congress held at Peshawar in April, 1963 as delegates from India.

4.10. USSR : The Government of India sponsored the visit of the Little Ballet Troupe consisting of 25 members to the U.S.S.R. (2) Under the Cultural Activities Programme between India and the U.S.S.R. the following writers, musicians and expert were sent on a three-week visit to the U.S.S.R. :

Writers

(1) Prof. V. V. Gokhale

(2) Prof. S. A. Malik

(3) Dr. K. M. George

        
        
                  Musicians
                  (Sitar)
             
                                      (4)  Smt. Kalyani Roy
        
                  (Tabla)
             
                                      (5)  Shri S. K. Saxena
        
                  Expert
                  
                  (Drama)
                                      (6)  Smt. Shiela Vats

Prof. Gokhale also visited Mongolia at the invitation of the Mongolian Government.

4.11. West Germany : On the conclusion of the Edinburgh Festival in the U.K. and before returning to India, Smt. T. Balasaraswati and her troupe gave a dance performance at Frankfurt. Shri Ravi Shankar with his accompanist, gave two recitals at Madrid (Spain).

5. Delegations From Other Countries.-A number of delegations from abroad also visited India during the period for diverse purposes and on various occasions. An account is briefly given in the paragraphs that follow.

5.2. Bhutan : A twenty-member goodwill delegation from Bhutan visited India for about a month and saw places of historical and cultural importance at Patna, Gaya, Varanasi, Delhi, Nangal, Kalka, Simla, Jaipur, Mathura, Agra, Bombay and Calcutta.

5.3. Cambodia: Mr. Hang Thun Hak, a Cambodian scholar in the field of fine arts visited India in October on a month's visit of this country and during his stay here he visited Calcutta, Santiniketan, Gaya. Patna, New Delhi, Aurangabad, Agra, Sanchi, Bombay and Madras.

5.4. Ceylon : Chitrasena Ceylon Ballet Troupe consisting of 19 members visited India in November and gave performances of Ceylonese music and dances in Bombay, Delhi, Calcutta and Lucknow.

5.5. Czechoslovakia : Prof. (Dr.) Ing Miroslav Nechleba, specialist in construction and assembly of water engines visited India on a two-month tour of this country under the Indo-Czech Cultural Exchange Programme. During his sojourn, he visited technical institutions at Dhanbad, Kharagpur, Kazipet, Madras, Bangalore, Bombay and Delhi. He also spent a day in Agra.

5.6. Japan : Rev. Koso Ohtani, President, All-India Buddhist Federation and Mrs. Ohtani visited India on a month's tour of the country and during their stay here, saw places of historical and Buddhist importance in Calcutta, Bodh Gaya, Rajgir, Patna, Varanasi, Kusinagar, Lumbini Caves, Lucknow, Delhi, Agra, Sanchi, Bombay, Aurangabad, Madras and Kathmandu. While in Delhi, they called on the Vice-President, the Prime Minister and the Education Minister.

5.7. Kenya : A grant of Rs. 3,430 was given to the Indian Council for Cultural Relations for the cost of a first class air-fare from Nairobi to Delhi and back to enable Miss Margaret Kenyatta to participate in the Annual Session of the All India Women's Conference at Delhi.

5.8. Mongolia: One Mongolian writer, Mr. Purve Horlo, has been in India under the Indo-Mongolian Programme on a three-week tour of the country and to attend the 26th International Congress of Orientalists, held at New Delhi in January, 1964.

5.9. Nepal : At the invitation of the Government of India under its cultural activities programme, a delegation of 15 Nepalese dancers and musicians visited India on a 15-day visit to the country in August-September, 1963. While in Delhi. the delegation gave two performances of Nepalese dances. The delegation thereafter visited Agra, Varanasi, Rajgir, Bodh Gaya, Nalanda and Patna.

5.10. Somalia: Mr. H. A. Gudal, Director-General of the Ministry of Education, Republic of Somalia, visited Delhi for 4 days in August-September, 1963, on his way back from the U.S.A. He was also taken to Agra. for one day.

5.11. Turkey : Dr. Fethi Tevetoglu, a Turkish Senator, visited India for a week's stay in the country, on his way back from Saigon and during his stay here he saw Calcutta, Delhi, Agra, Aligarh and Jaipur.

5.12. USSR : Under the Indo-Soviet Cultural and Scientific Exchanges, a delegation of 5 Soviet writers, led by Mr. V. A. Kochetov, visited India in April, 1963 on a two-week tour of the country. The delegation visited Agra, Allahabad, Varanasi, Calcutta, Madras, Bombay, Chandigarh and Delhi. (2) Under the Indo-Soviet Cultural and Scientific Exchanges, two Soviet lexicographers, namely, Mr. A. V. Ilitch, Senior Editor and Chief of the Editorial Office of Indian and South Asian Dictionaries, and Mr. M. V. Afanasievitch, Editor of Dictionaries visited India in September on a two-month sojourn in the country to work on Russo-Hindi, Russo-Bengali, and Russo-Tamil dictionaries. After visiting Agra, they went to Madras, Annamalainagar, Calcutta, Santiniketan, Varanasi and Allahabad. At Delhi, they held useful discussions in the Sahitya Akademi, Central Hindi Directorate and the Delhi University. (3) A Soviet composer, Mr. Sultan Ismail Ogli Dagdibekov has been in India recently on a three- week tour of the country to deliver lectures on Soviet music and for creative contacts. (4) One Soviet historian, Prof. Balabusavich, has recently been in India on a fortnight's tour of the country. He attended the Indian History Congress held at Poona in the last week of December, 1963. He also attended the 26th International Congress of Orientalists at the invitation of the Congress. (5) A delegation of chairmen and vice-chairmen of the various sections of the 26th International Congress of Orientalists has been taken round the country after the conclusion of the Congress to show Bhakra Nangal, Agra, Calcutta, Santiniketan, Bhubaneshwar, Bombay and Ajanta and Ellora.

6. Exhibitions Sent Abroad.--A brief mention of the different exhibitions abroad in which India participated during the period, is made in the following paragraphs.

6.2. Japan : An Exhibition of Indian Art opened in Tokyo on 2nd November, 1963. The exhibition, which was inaugurated by the Prime Minister of Japan, and the then Minister of S.R. & C.A., has been sponsored by the Nihon Keizai Shimbun. The Government of India had assisted the sponsors in the collection of art objects from the various museums in India and their despatch to Tokyo.

6.3. Malaya and Singapore : The Government of India participated by sending 30 miniature paintings in the Exhibition organised by the Government of Singapore at the South-East Asian Cultural Festival which was held on 8th-15th August, 1963, to coincide with the inauguration of their National Theatre.

6.4. Nepal : At the invitation of the Government of Nepal, the Government of India sent an exhibition of contemporary paintings for display at the All-Asia Contemporary Paintings Exhibition held at Kathmandu on the occasion on the birthday of the King of Nepal. The exhibition was accompanied by three Indian artistes.

6.5. Pakistan : An exhibition of ten contemporary paintings was sent to the High Commission for display during the U.N. Week Celebrations there.

6.6. USSR : An exhibition of contemporary paintings was sent to Moscow for display at the Indian Art Exhibition as part of the Indian Industrial Exhibition. The exhibition was also shown at other places in the U.S.S.R. Besides, it was proposed that the exhibition might tour a few neighbouring East-European countries.

7. Exhibitions From Abroad.-During the period, there have been two impressive exhibitions from two other countries and they are, briefly, as given below.

7.2. France : An Exhibition of French Decorative Art was inaugurated on 7th December 1963 by Prof. Humayun Kabir, Minister of Petroleum and Chemicals at the Rabindra Bhavan Galleries at New Delhi. The Exhibition remained open in Delhi from 7th to 27th December, 1963. The Exhibition which consists of invaluable and priceless articles of ancient and modern tapestery, jewellery, ceramics, stained glass, manuscripts and paintings, was earlier shown at Bombay and is to be taken to Calcutta, Hyderabad and Madras. The organisation of Exhibition has been entrusted to the Lalit Kala Akademi.

7.3. Rumania : An Exhibition of Photographs, of Archaeological Monuments of Rumania was inaugurated by Prof. Kabir on 14th August, 1963. The Exhibition also visited Delhi, Bombay, Calcutta and Madras. A grant of Rs. 4000 was given by the then S.R. & C.A. Minister to the All India Fine Arts and Crafts Society who were entrusted with the organisation of this exhibition.

8. Presentation and Exchange of Indian Art, Objects, Books Etc.Indian art and other objects have been presented to various institutions and organisations in Ghana, the USA, Switzerland, the USSR, France, Fiji, Turkey, the UAR, Netherlands, Australia, Burma, Ceylon, Norway, West Germany, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Chile, Malayasia, Canada, Indonesia and the United Kingdom.

8.2 Books on Indian history, art, literature etc. were presented to various organisations and institutions abroad through the respective Indian missions.

8.3 Official publications are being exchanged with the USA, Canada, the USSR, Rumania and the UAR.

8.4. Essay Competition and Presentation of Indian Objects : During the current financial year, thirty-nine Indian missions abroad are organising essay competitions on subjects relating to India in their accredited territories. The winners are awarded prizes in the shape of books, objects of Indian art and handicrafts etc. In many cases, prize articles have already been despatched from India.

9. Participation in International Congresses and Conferences.- Professor P. Sambamoorthy, Director, Development Centre for Musical Instruments, All India Handicrafts Board, New Delhi was sent to attend the 5th International

Congress on the Role and Place of Music in the Education of Youth and Adult held at Tokyo from 3rd to 10th July, 1963.

10. Subsidies for Travel Abroad for Approved Purposes.-(1) A travel subsidy has been granted to Swami Ranganathananda, Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture, Calcutta in connection with his visit to Ceylon to deliver lectures there during the Birth Anniversary Celebrations of Swami Vivekananda in Ceylon. (2) Prof. C. C. Mehta, Honorary Visiting Professor, Dramatic Literature, Baroda, has been given a travel subsidy equal to half the return economy class air-fare from India to Warsaw to attend the 10th World Theatre Congress held in Warsaw in June, 1963. (3) On a request from the authorities of the Edinburgh Festival, the Government of India gave a grant of Rs. 50,000 towards the cost of passage etc. of the India artistes, who were invited by the organisers to participate in the Festival at Edinburgh.

11. Grants-in-Aid for External Cultural Relations.-Financial assistance in the form of ad hoc grants was given to various cultural organisations, individuals etc. as mentioned below :

Namgyal Institute of Tibetology, Gangtok; School of Buddhist Philosophy, Leh; Ramakrishna Mission Society, Rangoon; Indo-Turkish Cultural Association, Istanbul, Turkey; Indo-Iranian Cultural Association, Teheran, Iran; Indo-Afghan Friendship Society, Kabul; Indo-Arab Association, Cairo; Indian Hospice, Jerusalem; Japan-India Societies, Tokyo and Kyoto; Rama Krishna Vedanta Society, Tokyo; Indian Gymkhana Club, London; Ramakrishna Vedanta Centre, London; Italo-Indian Association, Rome; Royal India, Pakistan and Ceylon Society, London; Asian Music Circle, London; Rhodes Memorial Museum, Bishops Stratford, UK: New Shakespeare Centre, Stratford-on-Avon, UK; Indo-Polish Friendship Association, Warsaw; Shrimati Uma Devi of Adyar, Madras; Indo-Nepalese Friendship Association, Kathmandu; Tsechu Offering Association, Kalimpong; Tibetan Refugee Cultural Drama Association Dharamsala; and Organising Committee of the XXVI International Congress of Orientalists, New Delhi.

12. International Students Houses.-There are schemes for the construction of International Students Houses at Calcutta, Santiniketan, Bombay and Delhi, for the benefit of foreign students. While for the houses at Calcutta, Bombay and Delhi, societies, registered under the Societies Registration Act, have been formed, the house at Santiniketan is being built by the Visva-Bharti University. The Union Government have so far released in March 1961 and 1962 the following grants for the construction of these houses:

        
             International Students House
        
                  (1) Calcutta                        Rs. 4,00,000
             
                  (2) Santiniketan                    Rs. 3,00,000
             
                  (3) Bombay                          Rs. 4,00,000
             
                  (4) Delhi                           Rs. 8,21,500