The Russian Centre of Science and Culture (RCSC) in New Delhi hosted a gala evening dedicated to the celebration of the 55th Anniversary of the centre.

Due to the difficult epidemiological situation in India, the evening was held in a hybrid format: a limited number of guests (up to 40 people) were present in the exhibition hall of RCSC, and about 100 people joined the event online through the ZOOM program. The event was also broadcast live on Facebook (over 700 views).

Prominent Indian political and public figures, representatives of the country's cultural, scientific and business elite, leadership and activists of friendship societies, youth organizations and partner NGOs, teachers and students of the Delhi’s universities, as well as journalists took part in congratulating the RCSC on its Anniversary. The main guests of the evening were: H.E. Mr Nikolay Kudashev Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation in India, Mr Ashok Sajjanhar President, Institute of Global Studies, Former Ambassador of India to Kazakhstan, Sweden and Latvia, Mr Balmiki Prasad Singh, IAS (Retd.), former Governor of Sikkim State, former Home Secretary, Government of India, Major Dalbir Singh, National Secretary, All-India Congress Committee, Co-Chairman of the International Organization “Assembly of the Peoples of Eurasia”, Ms Pratibha Prahlad, President, Prasiddha Foundation and Admiral Robin K. Dhovan, former Chief of Staff of the Indian Navy, Co-Chairman of RusEducation.

The evening opened with the official release ceremony of a Special Cover of postal envelope issued by the Indian Post Department specifically for the 55th Anniversary of the RCSC, which was carried out by Mr Akhilesh Kumar Pandey, Postmaster General, Delhi Postal Circle, Department of Posts.

The Ambassador of Russia to India Mr N.R. Kudashev mentioned that the RCSC in New Delhi has been a place where Indians get acquainted with the centuries-old history, traditions and rich cultural heritage of our country for more than half a century. He highly appreciated the contribution of the RCSC to the development of Russian-Indian humanitarian ties and the enhancement of bilateral Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership between our countries.

In his speech, Mr Ashok Sajjanhar cordially congratulated all employees and friends of the RCSC on the 55th Anniversary of the centre, stressing that Russia and India are linked by more than 70 years of open, mutually beneficial and friendly relations. “2020 was not an easy year for all of us, but despite this, the RCSC in New Delhi managed to maintain a positive momentum in its activities aimed at achieving the important task of maintaining and further developing cultural and humanitarian ties between Russia and India, in a rapidly changing environment of the modern geopolitical situation in the world,” said Mr Sajjanhar.

Addressing the audience, Ms Pratibha Prahlad noted the particular importance of the dialogue of cultures in the process of improving mutual understanding, as well as strengthening friendly ties between the peoples of the two countries. “Russian-Indian relations in the cultural and humanitarian sphere are multifaceted and are based on mutual respect and interest in national traditions and cultural heritage of the peoples of both countries, which have deep historical, cultural and spiritual roots, and the RCSC in New Delhi for 55 years has been a pillar of People's Diplomacy and a real bridge of friendship between Russia and India," added Ms Prahlad.

During the evening, the official release of a booklet about the history of the Russian Centre of Science and Culture in New Delhi took place. This special issue was prepared to commemorate the Anniversary of RCSC.

The participants of the evening were also able to get acquainted with the Photo Exhibition "RCSC in New Delhi: 55 Years of the Roads of Friendship and Cooperation". The exposition includes 120 photographs reflecting the most bright and historically significant events from more than half a century of the centre’s history.