HE Mr. Ajai Malhotra, Ambassador of India inaugurated the exhibition “Indian and Domestic Motifs in the Creative Works of Artists of South Russia” at D P Dhar Hall, Embassy of India, Moscow. The exhibition, which is a collection of 108 works by 35 artists from different parts of South Russia, was organized jointly by the Jawaharlal Nehru Cultural Centre, Embassy of India, Moscow, and the Southern Branch of the Russian Institute for Cultural Research, based in Krasnodar and a part of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation.
Ms. Ira Gorlova, Director, Southern Branch of the Russian Institute of Cultural Research, Mr. Alexander Okorokov, Director, Russian Institute of Cultural Research, Moscow, Mr. Alexander Gutsalov, Curator of the exhibition and Senior Research Fellow, Russian Institute of Cultural Research, Krasnodar, Mr. Nikolai Dzhanyan, artist, and Ms. Valentina Kashpur, artist, joined Ambassador Malhotra in lighting the lamp to inaugurate the exhibition.
In his opening remarks, Ambassador Malhotra highlighted India’s growing cooperation with Krasnodar. He recalled the cooperation between Hyderabad Central University and the Krasnodar State University for Culture & Arts that commenced with the holding of a Joint Seminar in October 2011. He mentioned that successful Indian trade exhibitions were inaugurated during his visits to Krasnodar & Sochi in May 2013. In the short period since his visit these contacts had intensified further. Prof. Kapil Kumar of Indira Gandhi National Open University had delivered lectures on Indian history, tourism and culture in Krasnodar in June 2013. Ambassador Malhotra recalled that, in response to a request made during his visit to the Krasnodar State University for Culture & Arts, a set of master classes for the Tabla and a lecture on Indian classical music were delivered at that University by Mr. A Badrinarayan Pandit of Jawaharlal Nehru Cultural Centre, Embassy of India, Moscow. Looking ahead, he expressed satisfaction that an exhibition by artists from the southern part of Russia would be travelling to Puttaparthi in Andhra Pradesh, India, on July 16, 2013, and would remain there on permanent display in the local Museum. He also revealed that, encouraged by the grand success of the exhibition held in May this year in Sochi, a second Indian trade exhibition would be held in Sochi in August 2013.
Ambassador Malhotra welcomed the many Russian artists hailing from Astrakhan, Dagestan, Kabardino-Balkaria, Kalmykia, Krasnodar, and other areas of Southern Russia who were participating in the art exhibition at the Embassy. He lauded their different techniques and art styles as well as their evident and varied artistic talent. As a token of gratitude, Ambassador Malhotra honoured the artists and exhibition organizers with participation diplomas and books on India.
Other speakers on the occasion were Ms. Ira Gorlova, Mr. Alexander Okorokov, Mr. Nikolai Dzhanyan, Ms. Valentina Kashpur, Mr. Alexander Povayev, an artist from Kalmykia, Ms. Olga Sevan of the Russian Institute of Cultural Research and President of the Russian Committee for the Village and Small Towns (ECOVAST), Ms. Yekaterina Karpushkina, artist, Mr. Oleg Gubsky, artist, and Mr. Alexander Gutsalov. All of them expressed their gratitude to Ambassador Malhotra for providing them the opportunity to showcase their exhibition at the Embassy of India. The exhibition will be on display at the D.P Dhar Hall of the Embassy till July 23, 2013.
Moscow
July 11, 2013
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