THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on Thursday inaugurated a four-day-long festival of Russian Language, Literature and Science here expressing the hope that the festival would help forge closer ties between India and Russia.Despite the huge changes that have occurred, the relationship between the two nations has endured. The relationship, Chandy said, was not merely diplomatic in nature, but had an emotional dimension to it.When in 1962 China attacked India, it was Russia that gave India hope by taking a favourable stand.The stand was above a mere diplomatic relationship. During the 1971 war with Pakistan, Russia again stood solidly behind India when other countries sought to isolate our nation, Chandy said.In recent times, Russian tourists have accounted for a major share of the foreign tourist inflow into India, he said.Education Minister P K Abdu Rabb, who presided over the function, expressed the hope that the festival would help attract more people to the study of the Russian language.Echoing the Minister’s words, senior counsellor of the Russian Embassy Sergey Karmalito said that the festival would open up new vistas of humanitarian, cultural and scientific ties between Russia and India.The Festival of Russian Language, Literature and Science is being organised by the Russkiy Mir Foundation, Moscow, and the Russian Cultural Centre, Thiruvananthapuram. Seminars, round-table discussions, interactive programmes and exhibitions are planned over the next three days.A photo exhibition on ‘Legends in Russian language and literature’ will open at the Russian Cultural Centre at 10 am on Friday.A workshop on the teaching of Russian language will be held at Hotel SP Grand Days, also on Friday. At 5.30 pm, writer Paul Zachariah will be chief guest at a talk on ‘My favourite Russian writer.’Dr Ramadhikari Kumar, president, Indpriyal and Dr Tatiana Perova, head of the Russian Language Teachers’ Training Centre, Russian Centre of Science and Culture, New Delhi, were present.
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