Observing that India and Russia have maintained "unbroken and steady" friendship for over 60 years, Indian Ambassador to Moscow Kanwal Sibal, has said the partnership between the two countries is unparalleled in the world.
"Partnership between the two countries is one example of friendship unparalleled in the world," Sibal said at a book release function in Moscow.
Releasing a reference and analytical tome on modern India published by the Russian Science Academy's Institute of Oriental Studies, Sibal noted the importance of book for Russian readers ranging from school children to scholars and specially the Russian business, which needs to know more about India.
Presenting Indiya Sevodnya (India Today) tome, Director of Centre of Indian Studies of the Russian Science Academy Tatiana Shaumyan said it is the fruit of lifetime work of 30 top Russian Indologists.
"We have attempted to dispel the common notions prevalent about India as an exotic country, a country of snake charmers and elephants," Shaumyan said.
The 600-page encyclopaedic tome covers all the facets of India ranging from its geography to religious festivals, economic and scientific achievements of the society of over one billion people.
According to the Director of Institute of Oriental Studies Rostislav Rybakov, Indiya Sevodnya is the first step towards materialisation of the idea of publishing a full-fledged 4-5 volume India encyclopaedia in Russia.
"Ever since Pandit Nehru's first visit to Soviet Union in 1950s, the books on India have always been a hit with readers. There is an insatiable demand for books about India in the Russian market and this book will fill the void," Rybakov said.
He noted that Russian language readers in the former Soviet republics can also benefit from the tome, which would surely be a hit as the love and friendship for India nurtured in the Soviet days are still kindling in the newly independent nations.
