A delegation from India visited Kyrgyzstan from July 4 to 7 to attend the opening ceremony of the International Center for Civilizational Studies 'Manas and Mahabharata'. This center was established by the National Academy of Manas in partnership with the Centre for Scientific Indian Research (CSIR) from New Delhi.
Agreements and Presentations
During the opening, agreements on trilateral cooperation were signed between the National Academy of Manas, CSIR, and seven universities in Kyrgyzstan, including KNU, BSU, AUCA, and Ala-Too. The event was also marked by the presentation of the first Hindi translation of the Kyrgyz epic 'Manas'. The event was supported by the Embassy of Kyrgyzstan in India and the Embassy of India in Kyrgyzstan.
Delegation Participation and Meetings
Sunil Ambedkar, a member of the National Executive Committee and Head of Media and Communications Department of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), served as the chief guest. The Indian delegation also included Professor Hem Chandra Pandey, Professor Ramakant Dwivedi, and Dr. Punit Gaur. During the visit, the delegation held a bilateral meeting in Bishkek with Oktyabr Kapalbaev, Deputy Head of the Department of Political and Economic Research and Head of the Office of Strategic Planning and Reform Analysis at the Administration of the President of the Kyrgyz Republic.
Discussion of Cultural Ties
Later, Kapalbaev joined the ceremony along with Duruzbek Kozuev, Deputy Minister of Science, Higher Education and Innovation; Salkin Sarnogayeva, Deputy Minister of Culture, Information, Sports and Youth Policy; and Indian Ambassador to the Kyrgyz Republic Birender Singh Yadav. Ambedkar addressed the attendees, stating that India (Bharat) and Kyrgyzstan share long-standing cultural ties and common traditional values based on human virtues. He noted that the 'Mahabharata' shaped Indian culture, just as 'Manas' played a similar role in the cultural history of the Kyrgyz people.
Prospects for Cooperation
Ambedkar also highly praised the work of Professor Ramakant Dwivedi and Professor Hem Chandra Pandey on the translation of 'Manas' into Hindi, calling the creation of the center an initiative of the National Academy of Manas. Dr. Punit Gaur emphasized that the center will serve as a platform for scientific, educational, and cultural interaction between India and Kyrgyzstan. He noted that this aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's proposal to establish a Forum for Civilizational Dialogue to strengthen ties between Eurasian cultures.
Center Focus and Epic Translation
According to Gaur, the center's activities will focus on comparative civilizational studies, the epic traditions of 'Mahabharata' and 'Manas', history, culture, intercultural dialogue, humanitarian diplomacy, international scientific cooperation, and researcher training. The ceremony also included the release of the first Hindi translation of the Kyrgyz epic 'Manas', completed by Professor Hem Chandra Pandey and Professor Ramakant Dwivedi. Dwivedi stated that the translation is based on the poetic retelling by Mari Baizhiyev, People's Writer of the Kyrgyz Republic, and covers all three parts of the epic—'Manas', 'Semetei', and 'Seitek'. He added that the publication aims to introduce Indian readers to the Kyrgyz epic tradition, promote academic cooperation between the two countries, and strengthen interaction in the fields of epic, civilizational studies, and humanitarian diplomacy. During the visit, the Indian delegation also visited the Chingiz Aitmatov House Museum and the Ata-Beyit National Historical and Memorial Complex.