International Women's Day Celebrated in New Delhi The festive evening on the occasion of the International Women's Day took place at the Russian Centre of Science and Culture in New Delhi on March 6. Russian Embassy, Indian Council of Humanitarian Relations and Delhi Association of Russian Compatriots jointly organized the celebration in honour of Indian and Russian women. The special guests of the event were the Minister of New and Renewable Energy, Dr. Sheikh Farooq Abdullah, elegant Maharani Ms Preneet Kaur, Minister of State for External Affairs, Ambassador of the Russian Federation to India, Mr. Alexander M. Kadakin, rising political star and Secretary of the All-India Congress Committee, Ms. Alka Lamba. In the concert hall, there were many high-ranking representatives of Indian public organizations, famous politicians, businessmen and cultural figures. Among the audiences the excited elegant women-laureates were easily recognized. On this day, they were to come onto the stage and accept felicitations and respectful words, memorable prizes “For the Best Achievements”. Speaking on the increasing role of Indian woman in all spheres of social life, Dr. Farooq Abdullah reminded that 59 out of 543 members of the lower chamber of Parliament belong to “beautiful gender”, and this is an absolute record ever since the Parliament has been existing. Moreover, he added, there is an assurance that women will get 1/3 of all the seats in the Parliament and State Assemblies after the next elections. At the same time, the Indian political veteran admitted, that the life of the majority of women in India still leaves much to be desired. He severely criticized the practice of the usage of modern medical achievements, which allows determining the sex of baby before birth and results in abortion of unwanted baby-girls. The Minister of State for External Affairs, Ms. Preneet Kaur, announced to the audience some good pre-holiday news. On March 8, the long-awaited legislation of women's rights protection will be submitted for approval in the Parliament. “The Enactment will be the best holiday-present for all Indian women”, she declared. Significantly, this time, the International Women's day will be celebrating its centenary. The Ambassador of Russia to India, Mr. Alexander M. Kadakin, after warmly greetinging the audience, paid rich tributes to the constellation of brilliant women of our countries, who left a large footprint on the sands of time: Mother Teresa and Sophia Tolstaya, Indira Gandhi and Valentina Tereshkova, Aruna Asaf Ali and Alexandra Kollontay, Sonia Gandhi and President of India, Smt. Pratibha Patil. And many other names are worth mentioning in this glorious line. The Director of the RCSC, Mr. Fyodor A. Rozovskiy, came onto the stage and sincerely congratulated and appreciated women's merits. According to him, during the last 45 years of existence of the Russian Centre of Science and Culture, women enthusiastically and efficiently teach dance, music, Russian language, and deserved great respect from Indian and Russian visitors of the Centre. Indian and Russian women-laureates walked onto the stage to an ovation- doctors and business - women, teachers and outstanding journalists, social workers and cultural figures. Elena Burman and Rupal Singha, Ekaterina Pokrovskaya and Prerna Kaul Mishra, Ganga Dadu and Galina Lyahova, Sonali Kochar, Aditi Lidhra and Shobha Rajan received felicitations from eminent guests, trying to hide into rose bouquets their faces flushed with shyness and pleasure. The performance by the students of the School of Russian Classical Ballet under the Russian Centre of Science and Culture was a beautiful conclusion to the festive evening, after that there was a traditional tea-party for all the guests.

Rich Tributes Paid to Russian Writer Alexander Belyayev Rich tributes were paid to the eminent Soviet author of science fiction Alexander Belyayev at a Literary Evening dedicated to his Birth Anniversary by speakers comprising noted Hindi poets, writers, critics and journalists. The function was jointly organized by RCSC and Parichay Sahitya Parishad . The Presentation made by Ms. Maria B. Pavlova, Deputy Director, RCSC, highlighted the life and literary career of Alexander Belyayev (1884-1942), who was a highly regarded figure in Soviet science fiction. His outstanding works are “Professor Dowell's Head, “Amphibian Man” (novel), “Ariel”, “The Air Seller” and “The Star KETs”. “Ariel” is a science fiction on India, which was made into film in 1992. Ms. Urmil Satyabhusha, President, Parichay Sahitya Parishad, was felicitated on her 70th birthday on the occasion by the gathering. Her book “Srijan Samagra” was released by the Chief Guest Dr. Krishna Murthy, Secretary, Sahitya Academy. Noted Hindi poets, writers, critics and journalists who paid glowing tributes to the Russian writer and underscored the significance of Indo-Russian cooperation in the field of language and literature with an emphatic note on the literary contributions of Russian writers included Padmasree Mr. Virendra Prabhakar, Dr. Sher Jung Garg, Mr. Radhey Syam Bandhu, Dr. Lekshmi Shankar Bajpai and others.

Russian “Dawn” over Southern Gates of India A two-week long Exhibition of Paintings by Russian artists, entitled “ZARYA” (Dawn), jointly organized by the Russian Centre of Science and Culture, New Delhi, and Vernissage Art Gallery, Cochin, with the creative support of Kerala Lalithakala Akademi, Thrichur, was opened by Mr. Fyodor A. Rozovskiy, Director, Russian Centre of Science and Culture, New Delhi, and Prof. Mercy Williams, Mayor, Corporation of Cochin, Chief Guest, at David Hall, Fort Cochin, Kerala, on February 27. The Painting Exhibition was held to mark the 75th Anniversary of the Serov Art School, Moscow. From around 90 paintings by Russian artists, 40 paintings are on display at the Exhibition, and 50 will be displayed at Trivandrum. The paintings are done by Russian artists such as Anatoliy Solovyov, Mansur Satarov, Daria Antonova, and Daniil Chepic. The elite, large gathering was earlier welcomed by Mr. Devadattan Nair, Vernissage Art Gallery, Cochin. The felicitations were offered by Mr. Jose Dominic, MD & CEO, CGH Earth, Mr. Anatoliy Solovyov, Deputy Director, Serov Art School, Moscow, Mr. Ratheesh C. Nair, Hon. Consul & Director, Russian Cultural Centre, Tiruvananthapuram, and Mr. Satyapal, Secretary, Kerala Lalalithakala Akademy, Thrichur. Mrs. Ambily Binu, Vernissage Art Gallery, Cochin, proposed a vote of thanks.

Russian “Day of Homeland Defender” Marked at Jamia Millia Islamia A Lecture-cum-Presentation, entitled “Nobody is Forgotten and Nothing is Forgotten”, by Ms. Susanna Grigorian, noted Historian, Teacher and Researcher, dedicated to the “Day of Homeland Defender” to mark the 65th Anniversary of the Victory Over Fascism in the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945) and organized by the Russian Centre of Science and Culture (RCSC) was held at the Jamia Millia Islamia, Okhla, New Delhi, on February 26. The function was attended by the teachers and students of Russian language of Jamia Millia Islamia. Ms. Susanna Grigorian addressed the elite gathering on the pre-condition, history and results of World War II with special emphasis on the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945). She made the lecture-cum-presentation with the aid of maps, documentary video, photographs and military songs so as to facilitate the understanding of the horrors of the War accompanied by the heroic exploits of the Russian Army and the supreme sacrifices of the people of the erstwhile Soviet Union. Ms. Sumana Jha, Teacher of Russian Language, Jamia Millia Islama, highly impressed with the presentation, said: “World War II has already been discussed at large many a time by students of world history and Russian language. But only now they could make a real assessment of the heavy price that the Soviet Army and the people of that country paid for the noble cause of victory over fascism with the result saving humanity. We would like to have a true-to-life picture of that dreadful phase in the history of mankind, but it is hardly possible now. On the internet, unfortunately, one cannot find a single Russian presentation on WW II in its English version.” After the lecture, the students took part in a Quiz on the history of World War II, prepared by Ms. Yelena S. Shtapkina, Senior Executive and Programme Coordinator, RCSC. In response to the request from students, Ms. Susanna Grigorian will revisit Jamia Millia Islamia in the near future on a lecture-cum-presentation mission, of course with the screening of the film “The Dawns are Quiet Here”.

Rich Tributes Paid to Russian Army Rich tributes were paid to the Russian Army at a function, entitled “The Glory of the Russian Army” dedicated to the “Day of Homeland Defender”, marking the 65th Anniversary of the Victory over Fascism in the Great Patriot War (1941-1945). The function was jointly organized by RCSC and the Office of the Military Air and Naval Attache, Embassy of the Russian Federation. The photos displayed at the Exhibition, opened on the occasion demonstrated the supreme sacrifices and heroic deeds of the Russian Army. Opening the Photo Exhibition, the Chief Guest, Air Marshal (Retd.) Ravi Kant Srivastava, said that it was thanks to the heroic deeds and supreme sacrifices made by the Soviet Red Army that the Allied Forces could achieve victory in World War II—the Great Patriotic War to the Russian people--defeating Germany thereby putting an end to the fascist threat to mankind for ever. Citing his personal experience, he threw light on the operational superiority of Russian military equipment and the unreserved support and assistance that the former Soviet Union and later Russia extended to India to make the country's defence strong. Earlier, welcoming the gathering, Mr. Sergey Isaev, Deputy Director (Science and Technology), RCSC, noted that the contributions made by the Russian Army during the Great patriotic War went a long way in not only defending their homeland, but also sustaining the security of humanity from global threats. The annual celebration of the Day on February 23 every year is aimed at keeping alive the memory of the first successful fighting against the German Imperial Army near Petrograd 92 years ago in 1918 during the Civil War in Russia, Mr. Isaev added. Addressing the gathering, Lt. Col. Denis Shkoda, Representative of the Office of the Military, Air and Naval Attache, Embassy of the Russian Federation in India, said that the Photo Exhibition appropriately manifests, to the intense interest of the present generation, the real gravity of the hardship that the Soviet people and the army passed through during the crucial days of the Great Patriotic War. Describing the indefatigable fighting spirit of the Russian Army, the Guest of Honour, Lt. Col (Retd.) B. S. Sharma, former Chief Coordinator of the Russian Festival in India, pointed out that it was the Soviet Armed Forces which broke the brunt of Hitler's German war machinery, a universally recognized fact in world history, resulting in a shameful defeat to the Axis Forces, in the process routing out fascism and Nazism. He narrated in detail the exploits of the Soviet Red Army at different war theatres during World War II in which the Indian Army also took part in the operations side by side with the Allied Forces. Mr. K. L. Malhotra, General Secretary, Indian Council for Human Relations, lauded the commendable achievements of the Russian Army both during the crisis period and peace time with special reference to the significant bilateral cooperation in defence. Mrs. Purnima Anand, General Secretary, International Federation of Indo-Russian Youth Clubs, proposed a vote of thanks.