Lecture on India-Central Asia Civilizational Linkages


Start Date:29-Nov-2022

End Date:29-Nov-2022

Location:Online

Institute:AuroBharati

‘A new spirit of oneness will take hold of the human race.’

-Sri Aurobindo

‘Ancient and yet ever youthful powers, full of joy, help and light, shining ones with whose presence the regions of earth and the hearts of men were illuminated, Angels and Deputies of the mysterious unknown God, worshipped in India, worshipped in Mesopotamia & Central Asia.’

-Sri Aurobindo

AuroBharati, Sri Aurobindo Society, Union Territory of Puducherry under the Series ‘India & The World’ presents a lecture on the topic ‘India-Central Asia Civilizational Linkages’ by Dr. Mahesh Ranjan Debata, Faculty, Centre for Inner Asian Studies Jawaharlal Nehru University, under the Ministry of Education, Government of India, New Delhi, India on 29th November, 2022 at 11:00 a.m.

Abstract: India’s relationship with Central Asia is over 2,500 years old. As two important wings of ancient civilization, both the regions have not only been caring for each other, but also sharing each other’s historico-cultural heritage and socio-political milieu besides understanding their economic needs, demands and aspirations. Their relations have been multi-dimensional, deep, old and continuous from the ancient times. In the divine words of Sri Aurobindo, angels and deputies of the mysterious unknown God, who were revered in India, were worshiped in Central Asian region. The emergence of five new independent republics of Central Asia - Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan - following disintegration of erstwhile Soviet Union in the year 1991 brought about a significant change. At this juncture, Central Asian leadership looked at India, the much avowed neutral actor with many virtues, a natural ally and an emerging global power. India too reciprocated with a warm response. Keeping intact its image as an old, neutral and faithful friend of Central Asia, India was one of the first countries to extend unstinted support to these republics to resuscitate the age-old ties.

Speaker: Dr. Mahesh Ranjan Debata teaches at Centre for Inner Asian Studies (CIAS), School of International Studies (SIS), Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) under the Ministry of Education, Government of India, New Delhi, India. Dr. Mahesh has been the Concurrent Faculty at, Special Centre for E-Learning (SCEL), JNU and also was the Director, UGC Area Studies Programme under the Ministry of Human Resources and Development, Government of India. His main research interests include studies on China, Xinjiang, Inner Asia, Eurasia, Central Asia and Research Methodology. He has authored three books China’s Minorities: Ethno-Religious Separatism in Xinjiang, Central Asia: Society, Security and Economy (ed.) and Central Asia Today: Issues and Concerns (ed.), in addition to over 24 scholarly papers in peer reviewed national and international journals, and 25 valued papers in edited volumes, besides reviewing more than half a dozen books. He has visited several foreign countries such as China, USA, Europe (Belgium, France, The Netherlands and Switzerland), Turkey, Central Asia (Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan) and Nepal etc. in connection with research and field work. Dr. Debata has presented valued papers and chaired sessions at many national and international conferences/seminars. He is currently an Associate Editor, International Journal of Business Anthropology and member of the Editorial Board, International Journal of Business Anthropology.

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