On the occasion of the 77th founding anniversary of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), one of the leading and well-established organizations of India's cultural diplomacy, the Indian Assistant High Commission in Sylhet organized a grand, colorful and significant event.
Eminent journalists, cultural figures, educationists, civil society representatives, former alumni of ICCR and invited guests participated spontaneously in the event organized at a prestigious hotel in Sylhet city on the evening of April 8 (Wednesday). The entire event was a bright reflection of sincerity, harmony and the deep cultural ties between India and Bangladesh.
At the beginning of the event, Indian Assistant High Commissioner in Sylhet Aniruddha Das delivered a speech. He said, "ICCR is not just an institution, it is a strong cultural bridge between India and people from different countries of the world. ICCR has been playing an important role in further strengthening the historical, linguistic, cultural and humanitarian ties that exist between Bangladesh and India.
" He further mentioned that through ICCR, numerous Bangladeshi students are getting opportunities for higher education in various reputed educational institutions in India.
These students are not only gaining academic knowledge, but also getting acquainted with Indian culture, tradition and lifestyle, and gaining a deep intercultural experience, which will play an important role in developing relations between the two countries in the future. Finally, paying special respect to the former alumni of ICCR present at the event, he said, “You are a living bridge of friendship between the two countries.
The experience you have gained will help in further strengthening the relations between Bangladesh and India.” The event was attended as the chief guest by Mr. Abdul Qayyum Chowdhury, Administrator of Sylhet City Corporation.
In his speech, he sincerely thanked the Government of India for providing ICCR scholarships. Through this initiative, many Bangladeshi students are getting opportunities for higher education, which is playing an important role in shaping their future. He further said that such educational cooperation is making an important contribution to developing relations between India and Bangladesh.
Also speaking were Dr. Himadri Shekhar Roy, Professor of the Department of English at Shahjalal University of Science and Technology and former ICCR scholar and Dr. Prakriti Mishra.
They expressed their gratitude to the guests present and gave a brief introduction to the long journey of ICCR. In their speech, they said that since its establishment, ICCR has been playing an important role in promoting cultural exchange, educational cooperation and mutual understanding between people worldwide.
Towards the end of the program, some former alumni shared their experiences and said that the ICCR scholarship has opened a new horizon in their lives. They said that they were impressed by the education, culture and sincerity of the people during their studies in various universities in India. They also called for the continuation of such initiatives.
A special attraction of the program was a short but captivating cultural performance. It presented the rich cultural heritage of India and Bangladesh through music and performances, which fascinated the guests present. Later, a sincere exchange of views was organized, where the guests exchanged views on various aspects of the relations, culture and cooperation between the two countries through mutual discussions.
