Delhi hosts mega India-Russia Friendship fest to mark 20 years of strategic partnership

NEW DELHI: The maiden Russian-Indian Friendship Celebration, which took place on March 7-8 in the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts in Delhi, became the city’s main cultural attraction over the last weekend signifying bonds between Delhi and Moscow.
The event was marked by traditional Russian music (Balalaika recital, chorus, folk dances) was interweaved with Indian music (Bharatnatyam, Hindustani vocal, folk dances).
Four talk shows on travel and life in Russia were held. Debasmita Moulik, a Moscow-based journalist, spoke on popular myths about Russia. Professor Yevgenia Vanina spoke in Hindi on tradition of celebrating the International Women’s Day in Russia.

Meenakshi of Coimbatore shared her experience of travelling from Tamil Nadu to Saint Petersburg by car. Col Shailendra Sing (retired) held a discussion on Indian contribution to the defeat of the Nazi Germany during WW II.

Inaugurating the event Ambassador of Russia to India Nikolay Kudashev said, “The maiden two-day event aims at celebrating our friendship as the year 2020 is the 20th anniversary year of establishing the Russian-Ingian strategiciaartnership and the 10th anniversary year of elevating this unique bond to the level of special and privileged strategic partnership. This year is full of other remarkable anniversaries.

The most important one is the 75th anniversary of the defeat if the Nazi Germany in the Great Patriotic War 1941-1945. We are looking forward to host Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the celebrations in Moscow on May 9. This year also marks 550 year of Russian-Indian people-to-people contacts, which were initiated by a Russian merchant Afanasy Nikitin, who visited India even before Vasco da Gama and wrote a vivid description of this beautiml country. 80 years ago Rabindranath Tagore, the first Indian to ever receive the Nobel Prize, visited Soviet Union.“

“This weekend’s programme is an endeavour to commemorate similar civilizational values, time-tested friendship, mutual understanding, trust, common interests and proximity of approaches to the fundamental issues of social and economic development. It will help to promote cultural and business ties, showcase our traditions, art, music and dance, cuisines, crafts, literature and tourism potential,” the Ambassador added.

Russian traditional items were offered, including such signature dishes as pelmeni, borsch, piroshki, schi were served at the fest. A stall with Russian books in Hindi and English was very popular among the guests of the celebration. A yoga workshop too was held.