Lok Sabha Question No. 2514 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-04
Subject: Infrastructure Development at MAKAIAS
Ministry: CULTURE
Asked by: Shri Saumitra Khan

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CULTURE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2514

ANSWERED ON 04.08.2025

## INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT AT MAKAIAS

## 2514.   SHRI SAUMITRA KHAN:

Will the Minister of CULTURE be pleased to state:-

- (a) the current status of infrastructure development at Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Institute of Asian Studies (MAKAIAS);
- (b)  whether the Salt Lake campus is fully operational, if so, the details thereof and the timeline for completing any pending construction;
- (c)  the  details  of  total  funding  allocated  to  the  institute  during  the  last  five  years,  along  with expenditure on research, infrastructure and academic activities;
- (d) the details of number of research projects undertaken during the last five years, particularly on modern and contemporary Asia, India's relations with neighbouring countries and the NorthEast Programme; and
- (e)  the  details  of  steps  taken/being  taken  to  enhance the  global  collaboration  of  MAKAIAS  with foreign institutions to expand research in Central Asia, South Asia and West Asia?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF CULTURE AND TOURISM (SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT)

- (a)   The details of current status of infrastructure at MAKAIAS are as under: Repair & renovation of flooring, top roof sheet of courtyard and store room of library etc. has been  completed.  Replacement  of  outside  existing  settled  down  paver  tiles  pathway  by  paver block has also finished.
- (b)  The Salt Lake Campus is fully operational since 16 th January, 2010 without any interruption.
- (c)  The details of total funding allocated to MAKAIAS since 2020-21 till 2024-25 in last five years is. Rs.30,13,50,000.00 (Rupees Thirty crores thirteen lakhs and fifty thousand only) .   The detailed break up is enclosed in Annexure `I'.
- (d)  The details of number of research projects undertaken during the last five years is attached at Annexure 'II'.
- (e)   The details of the Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) signed both in India and abroad are stated in Annexure `III'.

The  names  of  different  projects  Seminars/Workshops/Webinars/Lecture  Sessions  including research projects are enclosed herewith in the Annexure `IV'.

*****

## Annexure referred in part (c) of Lok Sabha unstarred Question No.2514 for Reply on 04.08.2025 regarding Infrastructure Development at MAKAIAS

## STATEMENT SHOWING EXPENDITURE INCURRED BY THE INSTITUTE AGAINST ALLOCATION OF FUND IN LAST FIVE YEARS

(Rupees in Lakh)

| Sl. No.   | Financial Year   | Fund Alloted as per MOU   | Fund Alloted as per MOU   | Fund Alloted as per MOU   | Expenditure incurred   | Expenditure incurred   | Expenditure incurred   |
|-----------|------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|
| Sl. No.   | Financial Year   | Research                  | Infrastructure            | Academic Activities       | Research               | Infrastructure         | Academic Activities    |
| 1         | 2020- 2021       | 109.60                    | 360.40                    | 125.00                    | 45.86                  | 330.52                 | 6.93                   |
| 2         | 2021- 2022       | 26.50                     | 413.50                    | 25.00                     | 13.79                  | 423.85                 | 24.29                  |
| 3         | 2022- 2023       | 56.50                     | 413.50                    | 7.00                      | 83.91                  | 420.00                 | 46.00                  |
| 4         | 2023- 2024       | 107.00                    | 486.50                    | 60.00                     | 70.87                  | 427.77                 | 92.62                  |
| 5         | 2024- 2025       | 82.00                     | 591.00                    | 150.00                    | 13.21                  | 506.85                 | 147.58                 |
| TOTAL     | TOTAL            | 381.60                    | 2,264.90                  | 367.00                    | 227.64                 | 2,108.99               | 317.42                 |

## Annexure referred in part (d) of Lok Sabha unstarred Question No.2514 for Reply on 04.08.2025 regarding Infrastructure Development at MAKAIAS

The total number of research projects under taken during the last five years particularly in modern  and  Contemporary  Asia,  India's  Relations  with  neighbouring  countries  and  the North- East programme are stated below:

Fellowship in the F.Y.(2020-2021)A total of 15 research projects in a two year session.

Fellowship in the F.Y. (2022-2023) A total of 18 research projects in a two year session:

- A. Azad Fellow: Total (1)

- B. MAKAIAS Fellows: Total (17)

## Major projects undertaken in the (Session 2025- at present)

1. Ramayana Diplomacy: Enhancing the Soft Power of India
2. Gautam Buddha: An Unifying Force in Asia
3. Ideas of Dr. Syama  Prasad  Mookerjee: A Religio-Cultural Perspective in the Contemporary

Context

4. 'Brihattar Bharat' (Greater India): Connecting the Asian Countries through cultural and shared heritage.

## Annexure referred in part (e) of Lok Sabha unstarred Question No.2514 for Reply on 04.08.2025 regarding Infrastructure Development at MAKAIAS

## MoUs signed with various Universities

-  Memorandum  of  Understanding  (MoU)  has  been  signed  between  MAKAIAS, Kolkata and Indian Institute of Heritage (IIH), Noida.
-  A  Memorandum  of  Understanding  (MoU)  has  been  signed  between  MAKAIAS, Kolkata and Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya (Central University), Bilaspur,
-  A  Memorandum  of  Understanding  (MoU)  has  been  signed  between  MAKAIAS, Kolkata and Registrar, Cotton University, Guwahati, Assam.
-  A  Memorandum  of  Understanding  (MoU)  has  been  signed  between  MAKAIAS, Kolkata and Centre for South East Asian Studies, Gauhati University and Gauhati University, Guwahati, Assam

## MoUs signed with following Bali (Indonesia) Universities:

-  A  Memorandum  of  Understanding  (MoU)  has  been  signed  between  MAKAIAS, Kolkata and Business Administration Department, Politeknik, Negeri, Indonesia.
-  A  Memorandum  of  Understanding  (MoU)  has  been  signed  between  MAKAIAS, Kolkata and IkatanCendekiawan Hindu Indonesia, Bali, Indonesia.
-  A  Memorandum  of  Understanding  (MoU)  has  been  signed  between  MAKAIAS, Kolkata and Dwijendra University Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia
-  A  Memorandum  of  Understanding  (MoU)  has  been  signed  between  MAKAIAS, Kolkata and Universitas Pendidikan Ganesha, Indonesia

## Major projects at present

-  Ramayana Diplomacy: Enhancing the Soft Power of India
-  Gautam Buddha: An Unifying Force in Asia
-  Ideas  of  Dr.  Syama  Prasad  Mookerjee:  A  Religio-Cultural  Perspective  in  the Contemporary Context
-  'Brihattar Bharat' (Greater India): Connecting the Asian Countries through cultural and shared heritage

## Annexure referred in part (e) of Lok Sabha unstarred Question No.2514 for Reply on 04.08.2025 regarding Infrastructure Development at MAKAIAS

## MAKAIAS International Conferences on Southeast Asia

## 25 th & 26 th March, 2023 - BIMSTEC, Kolkata

I MAKAIAS. Kolkata. in collaboration with Ministry of External Affairs. Govt. Of India, TheNational  Library.  Kolkata,  Bharat  Chamber  of  Commerce.  ISCS  and  other  Think Tanks. organised 2" ISCS BIMSTEC Conference at Hotel Taj Bengal. Kolkata.

## 31 st March, 2023

MAKAIAS. Kolkata, in collaboration with  Institute  of  Social  and  Cultural  Studies  (ISCS). Kolkata, organised a Seminar on "BIMSTEC Security Cooperation" at ICCR Kolkata.

## II 14 th & 15 th September, 2024 - Bali, Indonesia

Maulana  Abul  Kalam  Azad  Institute  of  Asian  Studies.  Kolkata  in  collaboration  with Consulate General of India in Bali and The Institute of Social and Cultural Studies (ISC$) is  organizing  an  international  conference  entitled  "Echoes  across  the  Waves:  Revisiting the Intersections of  India  and  Indonesia's  shared  Cultural  Heritage"  as  a  part  of commemoration of 75 years of establishment  of diplomatic  relations  between  India  and Indonesia at Sanur, Bali in Indonesia.

## III        Publication of MAKAIAS on Central Asia

- i.          A Book entitled, TRACING THE TRAIL OF INDO-TAJIK CULTURAL LINK THROUGH  PAST  AND  PRESENT:  CASE  STUDIES  OF  VARIOUS  ART  FORMS , authored by Dr. Nandini Bhattacharya, (Published by KW Publisher, New Delhi).
- ii.          A Book entitled, ARMENIAN COMMUNITY OF KOLKATA: STRUGGLE FOR  EXISTENCE ,  authored  by  Dr.  Arunava  Patra,  (Published  by  Shipra  Publications, New Delhi).