Russian poetry unites participants of Russia–India teleconference

The international teleconference “Russia–India” was held at the BRICS+ Information and Cultural Media Centre in Moscow, during which students and professors from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) learnt about the activities of BRICS. The video meeting was organised by the TV BRICS International Media Network in cooperation with the Indian university.

The teleconference was hosted by Tamara Skok, PhD in Philology, Director of the Department for Innovative Linguistic Projects at TV BRICS and Head of the "Modern Russian" international project of TV BRICS, and Evgeny Mishin, Head of the Department for Cooperation with South Asian and Middle Eastern Countries at the media network. From the Indian side, the session was moderated by Sonu Saini, Senior Lecturer at the School of Language, Literature and Culture Studies of Jawaharlal Nehru University.

In his opening remarks, Miguel Palacio, Deputy Director General for Interregional and International Cooperation at the M. I. Rudomino All-Russia State Library for Foreign Literature, emphasised that joint cultural projects between Russia and India – including lectures, master classes and festivals – contribute to strengthening interstate dialogue.

“We are very pleased to be holding this teleconference, which we are confident will bring India and Russia even closer together through literature, culture and language,” he said.

For her part, Kiran Singh Verma, Head of the Centre of Russian Studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University, expressed her gratitude to TV BRICS for its long-term cooperation and support for educational and cultural initiatives that broaden horizons and inspire young people to engage in international dialogue.

The event included a lecture and a quiz. The students not only learnt about the history and structure of BRICS but also gained a deeper understanding of the group. They explored concepts that reflect the group’s key principles of cooperation: mutual assistance, mutual benefit, and mutual understanding. In addition, they immersed themselves in the culture of interaction among the member countries.

The teleconference concluded with performances by participants. Indian students recited works by Russian poets Sergey Esenin, Marina Tsvetaeva, Konstantin Simonov, and Mikhail Lermontov. They also performed songs in Russian.

At the end of the event, the quiz results were announced and the winning teams were named. The jury was particularly impressed by a student’s expressive reading of Sergey Esenin’s poem “Shagane, you are my Shagane!...” Participants noted that the teleconference helped them gain a deeper understanding of BRICS as a platform for international cooperation and inspired them to further study the culture and history of the member countries.

Photo: Jawaharlal Nehru University / TV BRICS