Secretary Culture attends SCO member state meet

On the Cultural front but unrelated to the ‘Year of India in Russia’, Mr. Jawhar Sircar, Secretary, Ministry of Culture, visited Russia to attend the 6th meeting of the Ministers of Culture of SCO member-States held from 26-28 April, 2009 in Kazan.

National Book Trust Team in Moscow

A 3-member delegation led by Shri Amar Mudi, Joint Director (Administration & Finance) from the National Book Trust of India visited Moscow from 26-29 April, 2009 for discussions with the Russian Federal Agency for Press and Mass Communication and the Moscow International Book Fair (MIBF) authorities on India’s participation in the MIBF from 2-9 September as ‘Guest of Honour’ country under the ‘Year of India in Russia’.

Ram Navami celebrations in Moscow held

The Russia-India Friendship Association gathered to mark Ram Navami on 29 April at the Bakhurshin Theatre in Moscow. Padma Shri Mr. Gennady Mikhailovich Pechnikov, who played the role of Rama and has presented Ramlila in Moscow for over 40 years, talked about his various visits to India and the International Ramayana Festival held in Khajuraho in 2000. Episodes from the Russian Ramayana Theatre were screened. The Padma Awards ceremony of 2008 in which Mr. Pechnikov was presented the Padma Shri by President of India was also shown. Ms. Padma Puttu, JNCC Kuchipudi dancer, presented a composition depicting an episode from Ramayana. About 50 guests attended the event, which was a component of the ‘Year of India’.

Kathak Dance at Book presentation ceremony

On the occasion of presentation of Gerasim Lebedev’s early-19th century book “Impartial Contemplation of Eastern India’s Brahmanical System, Sacred Rituals and Folk Customs” at Yaroslavl, JNCC artists led by Shri Praveen Gangani presented a Kathak Dance programme at Yaroslavl on 16 April as part of the ‘Year of India in Russia’. A festival of Indian Culture “Rangoli 2009” was organized by the Tver State Medical Academy on 18 April as part of the ‘Year’. JNCC artists led by Shri Radheshyam Sharma, Tabla Teacher and Shri Praveen Gangani, Kathak Teacher presented their programmes.

Director Film Festivals visits Moscow

Shri V.B. Pyarelal, JS (Films), Ministry of Information & Broadcasting and Shri Shankar Mohan, Director, Directorate of Film Festivals visited Moscow from 12-15 April to hold discussions with Russian officials regarding the proposed Indian film weeks to be organised in various cities of Russia under the ‘Year of India’ as well as India’s participation in the Moscow International Film Festival and the St. Petersburg Film Festival in June, 2009. The delegation called on Russian Deputy Minister of Culture, Alexander Golutva.