St Petersburg University sums up the results of the cross year of Russia and India
As part of the Russia-India Cross Year announced in 2024 to strengthen interregional cooperation and strategic partnership between the two countries, St Petersburg University has been actively implementing initiatives to promote Russian-Indian academic ties.
St Petersburg University teaches Indian languages and studies historical development, culture, literary heritage, modern aspects, traditions and social changes in India. India is one of the priorities for St Petersburg University, said Rector of the University Nikolay Kropachev during a meeting with the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of India to the Russian Federation. St Petersburg University is ready to welcome more Indian students and develop cooperation with leading educational organisations in India through implementing joint research projects and student and academic staff exchanges, said Nikolay Kropachev.
Apart from the new Indo-Aryan languages (e.g. Hindi, Urdu, Marathi and Bengali), St Petersburg University also studies the languages of South India, which belong to the Dravidian family, including such rarely studied languages in Europe as Tamil and Telugu. St Petersburg University is one of the few centres in this field outside India, where students can learn several languages of the friendly country. The heart of Indological studies at St Petersburg University is the unique school of Sanskrit, known for its innovative approach, combining a deep understanding of traditional Indian methods of studying the language and philology with advanced European scientific methods.
During the Russia-India Cross Year, St Petersburg University also developed a series of two courses on the study of the language and culture of India.
The new online programme is aimed at students who want to take their first steps in learning the Indian language, including its phonetic structure, grammatical constructions and basic vocabulary needed for everyday communication. Upon completion of the course, participants will be able to have simple conversations in Hindi, have the skills to understand spoken language and express their own thoughts in everyday communication and will receive comprehensive knowledge of the cultural life of Northern India.
A significant event of the year was the signing of an agreement with the University of Kerala to develop cooperation in the field of teaching Russian and the languages of South India. In accordance with the document, St Petersburg University will assist in improving the qualifications of Russian language teachers at the partner educational institution, while Indian colleagues will take part in organising courses in studying Malayalam, which is spoken by more than 35 million residents of the state.
It is essential for us to give new impetus to the development of Russian‑Indian relations, especially in the field of science and education. The academic sphere has always been the area where we can work fruitfully and achieve good results for the benefit of the development of the societies of our countries.
Sergey Andryushin, Vice-Rector for International Affairs of St Petersburg University
St Petersburg University held the first meeting of the Russia-India-China Trialogue, which brought together leading experts from Russia, India and China in the field of international relations, global security and the world economy. The meeting is an important event for exchanging opinions and discussing current issues on the global agenda. The Head of the G.O.R.K.I. Centre at St Petersburg University, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Austria, and Professor of the University Karin Kneissl presented a report that examined the stages of the formation of the global food market and the role played by various states and integration associations around the world.
The cooperation between St Petersburg University and Indian partners involves educational initiatives and active participation in significant international forums. The University staff and students, together with their foreign colleagues, acted as experts at a number of prestigious events, including the 4th International Forum, the 3rd St Petersburg Historical Forum, the 27th St Petersburg International Economic Forum and the 12th St Petersburg Legal Forum. The panel discussions focused on important topics of humanitarian cooperation, restoration of social and cultural ties, ethical aspects in the field of artificial intelligence, and support for traditional values and the institution of the family. They continued to discuss key issues at meetings of the international discussion club "Dialogue" and at the discussion platform "Baltic Platform."
Another significant area of international cooperation within the framework of the cross year was the participation of St Petersburg University experts in the panel session "Economic cooperation between Russia, India, and China in the BRICS and RIC formats in the Eurasian space" in the 9th Eastern Economic Forum, where the participants considered the prospects for trilateral cooperation in the economic sphere, paying special attention to issues of synergy and balance of interests.
St Petersburg University provides high-quality education in the field of Indian studies and actively develops cultural projects related to the heritage of the eastern state. In April, the M. Gorky Scientific Library opened the Indian Corner, which have books donated to the University by the Government of India, including classics, political history, and Bollywood film scripts. The collection also includes books from a small but unique collection of books on India, which includes gifts from patrons.
To promote international cooperation, St Petersburg University also organised holidays dedicated to Indian culture. In the spring, the University celebrated Holi Day, symbolising the beginning of spring and the awakening of nature. Moreover, this philosophical basis was reflected in events of a different focus. During an open lecture by St Petersburg University Professor Devendra Nath Tiwari, students learned about what the attitude towards fundamental concepts such as value, morality and duty is in Indian culture.
"According to the Indian worldview, the entire world is a single family. There are many common values and aspirations between Russia and India, because we all want to make this world a better place. This is becoming the main goal of our cooperation," said Professor Devendra Nath Tiwari.
St Petersburg University, as the organiser of a series of open lectures on current issues in diplomatic relations, actively supports scientific and educational cooperation with India. The University’s Professor Stanislav Tkachenko held an online lecture on diplomatic relations of the countries in the 20th and 21st centuries during the cross year of Russia and India, which examined the key stages of development of bilateral cooperation, modern challenges and the current state of international realities.