Russia's Kalmyk State University, Nalanda University sign pact to boost cooperation

New Delhi, Oct 20 (PTI) A Russian university and India's Nalanda University have inked a pact towards enhancing educational, scientific and cultural collaboration between the two countries, officials said on Monday.

The Memorandum of Cooperation signed with Kalmyk State University, named after B B Gorodovikov in Elista, provides an institutional framework for all planned initiatives, including student and faculty exchanges, joint research, and academic events, the Indian Culture Ministry said.

"Both sides expressed confidence that the partnership will open new horizons for students and scholars from India and Russia and elevate bilateral cooperation in education, culture, and the humanities to a new level," it said in a statement dated October 19.

The signing of the Memorandum of Cooperation marks a significant step towards enhancing educational, scientific, and cultural collaboration between India and Russia, the officials said.

The meeting was held at Kalmyk State University in the presence of senior dignitaries from both sides, including Nikhilesh Chandra Giri, Minister Plenipotentiary, Embassy of India in the Russian Federation; Vinay Kumar, Minister (Education), Embassy of India; and Sachin Chaturvedi, Vice-Chancellor, Nalanda University (who joined the meeting via video link).

Aleksey Eteyev, Deputy Chairman of the Regional Government of Kalmykia, and Badma Salayev, Rector, Kalmyk State University, were also present on the occasion.

Salayev underlined the importance of this partnership, noting that the visit of Indian diplomats and academic representatives marks a "new chapter in the deepening of educational and cultural cooperation".

He observed that the just-held exposition of the sacred relics of Lord Buddha, in Kalmykia, holds profound symbolic significance, further strengthening interreligious and intercultural dialogue.

The relics, which are enshrined at the National Museum in Delhi, have now returned to India, after the exposition in the Russian city of Elista, the officials said.

Salayev highlighted that Kalmyk State University actively collaborates with universities in 23 countries and hosts about 1,500 international students from 53 nations, including 50 Indian nationals, the statement said.

He emphasised that international partnerships in education, research, and cultural exchange remain a "top priority" for the university.

Representing Nalanda University, Vice-Chancellor Chaturvedi noted that the collaboration aligns with Nalanda’s historical legacy as a global hub of knowledge and intercultural exchange.

The discussions outlined several areas of future collaboration, including academic exchange programmes in Sanskrit, Pali, Russian, and Buddhist Studies; research internships for Kalmyk scholars at Nalanda University.

Also, joint projects such as 'Healthcare: Ayurveda and Kalmyk Traditional Medicine' and 'The Elderly in Russian and Indian Societies'; preparation of a 'Concise Encyclopedia of the Buddhist Written Heritage of Russia and India'; and development of dual degree programmes and joint cultural festivals, it said. PTI KND NSD NSD