Lok Sabha Question No. 147 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-07-19
Subject: Inter-Cultural Interactions
Ministry: CULTURE
Asked by: Riti Pathak

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CULTURE LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 147

TO BE ANSWERED ON 19.07.2021

## INTER-CULTURAL INTERACTIONS

## † 147. SHRIMATI RITI PATHAK:

Will the Minister of CULTURE be pleased to state:

- (a) the  details  of  the  Inter-Cultural  interactions  carried  out  by  the Government with different nations in the world during the last three years;
- (b) whether  any  concrete  impact  or  positive  outcome  has  been noticed due to the said  interactions;
- whether the said interactions helped to promote Indian Culture;
- (c) and
- (d) if so, the details thereof  ?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER FOR CULTURE, TOURISM AND

DEVELOPMENT OF NORTH EASTERN REGION

(SHRI G. KISHAN REDDY)

- (a): The  list  of  major  inter-cultural  interactions  carried  out during the last three years is enclosed at Annexure-I.

Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), an autonomous organization  under  Ministry  of  External  Affairs  also  foster  and strengthen  cultural  relations  between  India  and  other  countries. The list of activities is enclosed at Annexure II.

(b) to (d): Yes.  These inter cultural interactions have been able to popularize and create interest about Indian art and culture and have fostered closer friendship and cultural contact between India and other countries.

*****

MAJOR  INTER-CULTURAL  INTERACTIONS  CARRIED  OUT  BY  THE GOVERNMENT WITH DIFFERENT NATIONS DURING THE LAST THREE YEARS

1. During  the  last  three  years  the  Cultural  Exchange  Programmes have been signed with the following 35 countries

Cambodia,  Guyana,  Jordan,  Mauritius,  Bulgaria, Serbia, Greece,  South  Korea,  Seychelles,  Rwanda,  Uganda,  Ghana, Azerbaijan,  Croatia,  Tajikistan,  Zimbabwe,  Maldives,  Algeria, Bolivia, Chile, Bahrain, China, Benin, Zambia, Latvia, Lithunia, Hungary, Iceland, Slovenia, Bangladesh, Comros, Sierra Leone, Philippines, Mongolia, Brazil

2. The  exhibition  titled  'Experiments  with  Truth'  by  Lalit  Kala Akademi at India Pavillion at the Jerusalem Biennale 2019 commemorating the 150th Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
3. The  National  School  of  Drama  had  presented  a  play  'Karna Charitra' based on Indian Mythology in the Asia Pacific Bond Theatre Schools Festival held at Vietnam in September, 2019.
4. In  the  year  2019  National  Museum  has  organized  collaborative international outgoing exhibitions in countries like China, USA, Switzerland, Singapore, Canada and also hosted collaborative international incoming exhibitions from China and France.
5. During the year 2020, National  Museum  has  organized  an incoming exhibition from Kazakhstan
6. To enhance institution to institution cooperation, National Museum has signed MoU with Hubei Provincial Museum on 12 th August,
2019.  As a part of the MoU National Museum also hosted an incoming exhibition from Hubei Provincial museum in November 2019.
7. An  MoU  between  the  National  Museum,  the  National  Gallery  of Modern  Art, the Indian Museum,  Kolkata,  the Prussian Cultural Heritage  Foundation,  Germany  and  the  Stiftung  Humboldt  Forum  in Berliner Schloss, Germany has been signed on 30 th  October, 2019.
8. MoU  between  National  Museum  of  India  and  Bangabandhu Museum of Dhaka, Bangladesh has been signed.
9. NGMA participated in one of the oldest and biggest art Biennale, the 'Venice Biennale' in May 2019
10. The  Victoria  Memorial  Hall  (VMH)  has  signed  a  non-binding Memorandum of Agreement in 2018 with the University of Exeter and the Royal Albert Memorial Museum  (RAMM),  Exeter,  UK, for a collaborative exhibition combining the natural history paintings in the VMH and RAMM collections in 2022
11. Four  Students  from  Royal  Academy  of  Drama  of  U.K.  visited National School of Drama as part of the student exchange programme between both the institutions for a period of two weeks from 13 th  to 29 th April 2019.
12. Four Students from Royal Academy of Drama of U.K. had visited National School of Drama as part of the student exchange programme between  both  the  institutions  for  a  period  of  two  weeks  from  31 st March to 14 th  April 2019.
13. National  School  of  Drama  has  signed  MOUs  with  the  Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, (RADA) London, Iceland Academy of Arts, Iceland, University of Theatrical Arts, Moscow, Russia.
14. In  the  Theatre  Olympics  2018  organized  by  National  School  of Drama  25  theatre  performances  were  showcased  from  the  following countries:

France, Germany, USA, Israel, Azerbaijan, Russia, Japan, China, Belgium, Bangladesh, Australia, Sri Lanka, Czech  Republic, Lithuania, Poland, Nepal, Turkey, Mauritius, South Korea, Greece, Denmark, Brazil.

15. 15  theatre  performances  from  Nepal,  Sri  Lanka,  Bangladesh, Italy,  Russia,  Czech  Republic,  Poland,  Romania,  Singapore  were showcased in 20 th  Bharat Rang Mahotsav organized by National School of Drama in 2019.
16. 10 theatre performances from Nepal, Bangladesh, Russia, Czech Republic, USA,  Sri Lanka  were  showcased  in  21 st   Bharat  Rang Mahotsav organized by National School of Drama in 2020.
17. An MOU between the Ministry of Home Affairs of the Republic of Suriname  and  the  Ministry  of  Culture  of  the  Republic  of  India  in  the field  of  archives  (2018-  2025)  was  signed  on  19  June  2018  in Paramaribo. An exhibition on 'Indian Emigration to Suriname' was also organized during the visit.
18. An MoU between the National Archives of India and the National Documentation  and  Information  Centre  of  Mozambique  (2018-2021) was signed on 29 November 2018 in New Delhi.
19. Dr.  Arun  Kumar  Chakraborty,  DG,  National  Library,  participated through  SKYPE  in  the  meeting  of  National  Libraries  held  on  22-23 rd October  2018  at  South  Africa  National  Library,  Pretoria  to  discuss 'Declaration of Intent for BRICS Alliance of Libraries Co-operation'.
20. National Museum  participated in the First  BRICS  Museum Alliance  held  at  National  Museum,  Beijing,  China  on  25-26  October, 2018.  An MoU was signed for cooperation in the field of Museums in the meeting

## 21. National Gallery of Modern Arts (NGMA)-

- (a) Organized  an  exhibition  titled  'A  Glimpse  into  Modern Indian Art' showcasing 15 art works of artists as a part of BRICS Cultural Festival at Xiamen Art Gallery, China from 15-22 September, 2017
- (b) Participated  in  International  Joint  Exhibition  'Uniqueness and Convergence' organized under the auspices of BRICS Alliance of Art Museum and Galleries from 10 th  April -23 rd April,  2018  at  National  Art  Museum  of  China,  (NAMOC), Beijing.    NGMA  presented  an  in-house  exhibition  titled 'Reflections: Man and Nature in the paintings of Bireswar Sen' in the Joint Exhibition of BRICS

## National School of Drama (NSD) -

- (a) A team from NSD performed the 'Servant of Two Masters' by Goldoni at BRICS Countries Drama School Festival from 27 th  May to 3 rd  June, 2018 held in Moscow, Russia
- (b) Team from NSD participated in the Workshop on Thang-Ta through virtual medium  in the 4th BRICS Countries Theatre  Schools  Festival  organized  by  the  University  of Theatre Arts, Moscow from 12-23 November, 2020
23. Sangeet  Natak  Akademi  participated  in  the  BRICS  Cultural Festival  hosted  by  Russia  in  virtual  format  in  December,  2020.  The performance  recording  of  Shri  Vishwa  Mohan  Bhatt  -  Fragrance  of India-Indian Folk Music Ensemble was presented during the festival.
24. Dr. Meeta Pandit (vocal) and Pt. Ronu Majumdar (Instrumental)  participated  in  the  Gala  Concert  organized  during  the SCO Summit on 13 th June, 2019 in Bishkek.

## 22.

25. National  Museum  developed  and  curated  the  first-ever  online exhibition  on  Shared  Buddhist  Heritage,  participated  by  all  member countries of SCO. The online exhibition (nmvirtual.in) was launched by the Hon'ble Vice President of India on 30.11.2020.  About 20 Objects of the  Indian  Museum  were  also  part  of  the  Indian  Buddhist  Gallery  in the SCO Online Exhibition.
26. Sahitya  Akademi  translated  and  published  10  titles  of  modern Indian  literature  from  10  Indian  languages  into  English,  Russian  and Chinese in follow up to the announcement made by Hon'ble P.M during his speech in SCO Summit 2019. The translations were released during the SCO virtual summit in November 2020
27. Sangeet Natak Akademi participated in the SCO Cultural Festival hosted by Russia in December, 2020.  Performance recordings of Shri Bhajan  Sopori  and  Shri  Abhay  Rustom  Sopori  were  presented  in the festival
28. Festival  of  India  was  organized  in  the  following  9  countries during last three years:

Tunisia,  Russia,  Switzerland  and  Liechtenstein,  Croatia, Qatar,  Nepal,  Colombia  and  Ecuador,  South  Africa  and Mexico

*******

## ANNEXURE II

## Details of major activities undertaken by ICCR during the last three years 2018-19; 2019-20; & 2020-21

|   S.No. | Activities                                                                                                                           |   2018- 19 | 2019- 20   | 2020- 21   |
|---------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------|------------|------------|
|       1 | Number of MoUs supporting chairs of Indian studies in various foreign universities                                                   |         66 | 65         | 59         |
|       2 | Number of eminent academicians/ distinguished visitors hosted by ICCR                                                                |         14 | 16         | 1          |
|       3 | Number of bronze bust/ statues of national heroes gifted                                                                             |         14 | 47         | 5          |
|       4 | Number of countries to which financial assistance provided for celebration of International Day of Yoga                              |        172 | 147        | 174        |
|       5 | Number of foreign groups hosted for cultural programmes in various states of India                                                   |         54 | 42         | --         |
|       6 | Number of groups sponsored to participate in various prestigious International Festivals and Events abroad (including travel grants) |        118 | 94         | 12         |
|       7 | Number of Exhibitions organized abroad                                                                                               |         12 | 5          | 1          |
|       8 | Number of Exhibitions hosted in India                                                                                                |          4 | --         | --         |
|       9 | Number of Conference/ Seminar organized abroad                                                                                       |          4 | 2          | --         |
|      10 | Number of foreign students studying in various universities in India                                                                 |       5793 | 6157       | 5811       |