Report
Conference of Uzbek Indologists devoted to Birth Anniversary of Jawaharlal at Tashkent,
November 14-15, 2006
On November 14 on the birth anniversary of Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru a two-day Conference of Uzbek Indologists was inaugurated at the Tashkent State Institute of Oriental Studies (TSIOS). The Conference was jointly organized by the Embassy of India, Lal Bahadur Shastri Centre for Indian Culture and the Tashkent State Institute of Oriental Studies.
Inaugural Ceremony: Keynote Address of Ambassador of India H.E. Shri Skand Tayal
In his keynote address Ambassador of India Shri Skand R. Tayal outlined the objectives of Conference. He said that the Conference –the first of its kind—was aimed to provide an opportunity to the scholars involved in Indological studies in the universities and research institutions in Tashkent and other cities of Uzbekistan to meet and exchange views and make “suggestions and proposals for the future directions of study and research which would be meaningful academically as well practically.” Ambassador Skand Tayal also enumerated the prospective areas of study which could be taken up by the Indologists of Uzbekistan.
Pro-Rector of the TSIOS, Prof. B. Nazarov, Director, Indian Cultural Centre, Mr. V. Vasudevan, the Head of the South Asian Department at the Institute, Prof. Azad Shamatov and the Director of Al Beruni Institute of Oriental Studies, Dr. Bakhrom Abdukhalimov, also spoke at the inaugural session.
The significance of the Conference
The Conference came like a whiff of fresh air, provided new stimulus and opened up new vistas for the Uzbek scholars, who have devoted their life to the study of various aspects of India. H. Begizova, a philology expert of Indian and Turkic languages, remarked “we were doing our own researches in isolation. It is for the first time that the scholars-Indologists have had an opportunity to meet together in a conference.”
The teachers of Hindi language in the schools of Tashkent were also invited to the Conference. They got an opportunity to interact with the wider community of Indologists as well as with the representatives of Indian Embassy and Cultural Centre.
Conference Proceedings
More than 30 scholars presented their papers in the two-day Conference. On the first day three sessions were held on the following themes:
1. History and Culture
2. Languages and Literature
3. Political and Social Development
The topics covered were, overview of Indo-Uzbek ties in the past, Buddhist archaeological sites in Termez in south-eastern Uzbekistan, Indian philosophy, Amir Khusrau’s musical creations, the impact of Central Asian languages and literature on medieval India, Sufi and Bhakt in Hindi literature, Hindi and Turkic languages of Central Asia, teaching of Hindi, Tamil and Uzbek languages, the pluralist concept of secularism in India, educational system in India.
Glowing tributes were paid to the role of Jawaharlal Nehru for strengthening the bond of friendship between the peoples of India and Central Asia in general and India and Uzbekistan in particular. Prof. Surat Mirkasymov, the first Ambassador of independent Uzbekistan said if Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru was the architect of friendship of India with the former Soviet Union and the peoples of Central Asia, then President Islam Karimov was the architect of independent Uzbekistan’s friendship with India. President Karimov’s first foreign visit on the eve of Soviet disintegration was to India in August 1991. Dr. Jyotsna Bakshi of India Chair at the University of World Economy and Diplomacy (UWED) spoke of the relevance of Mahatma Gandhi in modern times. Both Gandhi and Nehru have made an invaluable contribution to the making of modern India, she said. One of the scholars spoke of the need to translate Nehru’s Discovery of India into Uzbek language. So far the Uzbek scholars have been reading the works of Nehru in their Russian translations only. Dr. Amrulla Faizullaev of the University of World Languages pointed out that during the Soviet period the works of famous Indian authors like Rabindranath Tagore and Premchand were translated into Uzbek language from Russian. There is a need to translate the works of famous Indian authors from the original.
The deliberations at the Conference brought into focus the significant contribution of Uzbek scholars in the study of Indology in the former Soviet space. It was also stressed that there are still many manuscripts in both India and Uzbekistan that need to be studied and analysed by the scholars and historians of the two countries in order to fully comprehend their common and rich historical legacy.
Cultural Programme
The Conference exuded a spirit of effervescence, mutual interest and appreciation for each other’s culture. Combining academics with culture, the first day of the conference concluded with a glittering show of Indian and Uzbek songs and dances.
Day-2 of the Conference
Day-2 of the Conference was devoted to the topical issues of economy and international relations. The main topics taken up on the second day were:
1. Prof. Anwar Kasymov (Doctor of History, TSIOS): “Asia in 21st Century: Problems of Security and Stability, Mutual Understanding between India and Uzbekistan”
2. Prof. A. Gafurov (Ferghana State University ): “Enhancing and Improving Economic Ties between Uzbekistan and India”
3. Mr. Akbar Kadirov (TSIOS): “Indian Economy since 1947”
4. Prof. A. Khaydarov (TSIOS): : “Uzbek-Indian Relations in the Context of Regional Development”
5. Mr. Botir B. Ochilov (Department of International Relations, UWED), “India and Central Asia: Geopolitical Perspective”
6. Sojida Urazbaeva (Institute of Strategic and Regional Studies under the President of Uzbekistan): “Indo-US Relations at Present: a View from Central Asia”
In addition, the representative of the Uzbek Chamber of Commerce and Industry also spoke at the Conference and apprised the audience about the measures that are being taken to promote economic cooperation between India and Uzbekistan.
All the presentations aroused great interest and evoked a number of questions from the audience.
As regards the economic ties, the general consensus was on the need to further expand economic ties so as to truly reflect the potential of the two countries. It was noted by the Uzbek scholars that India had never threatened Central Asia. On a number of issues of bilateral, and international issues, the two countries share a commonality of interest e.g. on combating international terrorism, narco-business and religious extremism. Both the countries have a vital stake in the maintenance of regional security and stability. Prof. Khaydarov spoke of the basic principles of Indian foreign policy that have been influenced by the ideals of its freedom struggle and commitment to the ideal of peaceful co-existence. He stressed that there were no problems between India and Uzbekistan. He also spoke of the desire of the Uzbek government to follow the ‘evolutionary’ method of gradual political and economic reforms in the country.
Uzbek scholars of international relations had in general a positive and optimistic assessment about the emergence of India as an important economic and geopolitical power not only in the region but on the world scale.
Concluding Ceremony
In the concluding ceremony, the chairmen of the five sessions presented their reports and made recommendations for giving further impetus to Indological studies in Uzbekistan. It was proposed that the papers submitted during the conference may be published in a volume. It was also proposed that such conferences should be made a regular feature and may be organized by rotation in various regions of Uzbekistan. Uzbek scholars expressed the view that Indological studies should be promoted in various other cities of Uzbekistan besides Tashkent.
In deference to the general feeling of the house, the Ambassador Skand Tayal announced that such conferences would be held annually. Ambassador Tayal also emphasized the need to groom young scholars to carry on the great tradition of Uzbek Indologists. He suggested that the established experts on Indology may recommend young scholars for studies in India with a view to training them as future experts.
Media Coverage
The reports of Conference were covered by Radio and Television and media.
The Evaluation
From every point of view the conference was a success. A large number of Uzbek scholars participated in the conference. The Conference provided them a forum to meet and exchange opinion as well as forge closer ties with the Indian Embassy and the Lal Bahadur Shastri Centre for Indian Culture. The Conference was designed to give a boost to Indological studies and turn out to be an important milestone in the direction of evolving an effective structural framework for study and research in this field as well as a conducive mechanism to streamline academic and intellectual contacts and interaction between the two countries. Ambassador Skand Tayal, pointed towards the need to link the ITEC and ICCR fellowship schemes and sponsored visits of Uzbek scholars to India with the need to promote systematic study of Indology in Uzbekistan and groom young and upcoming scholars-Indologists.
In the long term such efforts would bear fruits. After all, cultural and academic contacts need constant and systematic nurturing over a prolonged period. India enjoys considerable goodwill in the country both at the level of scholars and experts and at the popular level. However, other powers are also actively and assiduosly seeking to promote the influence and presence in the region. Constant activism is called for on the part of India to retain and expand the reservoir of goodwill it has in Uzbekistan.
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