India holds Regional Hindi Conference in Moscow

Moscow, Mar 27: Indian Ambassador to Russia Kanwal Sibal today inaugurated the first-ever three-day Regional Hindi Conference aimed at strengthening prospects of growth in Hindi in CIS countries and Baltic states at the Embassy premises here.

The 'Hindi Mahotsav', the opening ceremony of which was held at the D P Dhar Hall, has jointly been organised by the Jawaharlal Nehru Cultural Centre (JNCC) of the Embassy and the Moscow-based 'Bharat Mitra Samaj'.

About 75 Hindi linguists, writers, poets and translators from India and former Soviet Republics are participating in the conference in the post-Soviet period.

A seven-member Indian delegation, including famous Hindi poet Ashok Chakradhar, expert on Hindi teaching on computer Dr V K Malhotra and Andhra Pradesh Hindi Academy Chairman Prof Y Lakshmi Prasad, is also participating in the conference.

''In today's era of advanced technology, when the whole world has shrunk into a global village and geographical distances have vanished, it is very necessary for us to know and understand each others' culture more deeply,'' Mr Sibal said.

He said the Moscow 'Hindi Mahotsav' is a new step for us to celebrate the festival of Indian language and Indian culture.

''In the chain of India-Russia mutual relations, the Moscow 'Hindi Mahotsav' will prove to be a historic conference,'' Mr Sibal noted.

He also expressed confidence the 'Hindi Mahotsav' in Moscow will be successful in bringing people of the whole region more closer to Indian people and further increase the friendship and cultural relationship between the two counties.

Mr Sibal also released a special souvenir 'Sahyatra' on the occasion.

UNI