Country Profiles: India

Table of Contents
1. Introduction
1.1 Cultural Diplomacy in India
1.2 Methodology
2. Cultural Diplomacy in the Public Sector
2.1 International Youth Exchange Programme
2.2 Cooperating Training in India
2.3 Fullbright Programme Worldwide
2.4 SAARC Chair/Fellowship/scholarship scheme 2011/2012
3. Cultural Diplomacy in the Private Sector
3.1 Maximum India
3.2 Indian Festival of Los Angeles
3.3 Jaipur Literature Festival
3.4 The World Culture Festival 2011 in Berlin
3.5 India Art Fair
4. Cultural Diplomacy in Civil Society
4.1 Reality Tourism (ORCBT)
4.2 Cultural Exchange Programme by Youth for Understanding (YFU) India.
4.3 Sweden World Youth
5. Conclusion
6. References
1. Introduction

1.1 Cultural Diplomacy in India

India, the world’s most populous democracy, shares its geographical boundaries with Pakistan
to the west; the People’s Republic of China, Nepal and Bhutan to the northeast; and Burma
and Bangladesh to the east. India is the seventh largest country by geographical area and is
home to around 1.2 billion citizens making it the second most populous country in the world.
Known for its rich cultural past, India was home to four world religions: Hinduism,
Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism, and was further culturally diversified by the later arrival of
Zoroastrianism, Christianity and Islam. India suffered less than 200 years of British colonial rule,
but finally achieved independence in 1947. Over the past 64 years, since India broke free from
Britain, it has maintained cordial relations with the most nations. Whilst the relationship with
Pakistan has been strained following the partition, the Kashmir region being the focal point of
dispute between the two regions, India has been involved in many strategic partnerships with
Russia, Israel and France, along with other countries. The country has also played a key role in
South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation and the World Trade Organisation. Until
now, the nation has provided 100,000 military and police personnel to serve in thirty-five UN
peacekeeping operations across four continents. For about a decade now, India has also
pursued a "Look East" policy which has helped it to strengthen its partnerships with the
ASEAN nations, Japan and South Korea on a wide range of issues but especially economic
investment and regional security.

With respect to cultural diplomacy, India has always been keen on sharing its culture with an
international audience. Though internationally the nation is made popular because of its
‘Bollywood’ image, the government of India is taking initiatives to bring Indian handicrafts, art,
music and tourism to an international platform. Music and arts have been playing a key role in
developing cordial relations with Pakistan, especially when artists working across borders and
spreading the message of peace through their work. Artists like M.F.Hussain; authors like
Salman Rushdie and Kiran Desai; musicians like A.R.Rehman; Nobel Laureates like Amartya Sen
are associated with their Indian origins, not just their works. Furthermore, strong diasporas in
USA and United Kingdom have also played their part, with internationally acclaimed
personalities like Meera Nair and Gurinder Chadha promoting Indian culture and bringing it to
the silver screen for the international audience. In order to encourage cultural exchange and to
try to meet international educational standards, the Indian government has recently also been
offering many scholarships to foreign students to come to India and has been taking part in
many exchange programmes to offer its students the possibility of gaining international
experience.

A high point in the initiatives for cultural exchange came when India hosted the
Commonwealth Games in 2010. A total of 6,081 athletes from 71 Commonwealth nations
and dependencies competed in 21 sports and 272 events, making it the largest
Commonwealth Games to date. Strong infrastructure was developed to support this grand
event with government spending totalling around US $13.38 billion.1 But the highlight of
the programme was the international media attention that the nation garnered, making its
mark on an international platform. Apart from the Commonwealth games, the country has
also hosted Asian Games and the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup.

1
Manu Kaushik (1 September 2010). "Business Today – India's leading business magazine". Businesstoday.intoday.in. Retrieved 3
October 2010
This report is intended to gauge the level of cultural diplomacy in India by looking at some
examples which promote cultural exchange between the nation and the rest of the world. The
basis on which the examples have been selected will be explained in the next section.

1.2 Methodology
This research aims to investigate the scope of Cultural Diplomacy in India. To achieve this,
the first and the foremost task is to define Cultural Diplomacy. What do we understand by
Cultural Diplomacy? What are the instruments of Cultural Diplomacy? In selecting the examples,
the main question that emerges is how to categorize these examples. Should we just focus on
the examples that are purely state-sponsored or should we include the NGOs and other
private organisations as well? But then, what about the projects that are initiated by the
government of other nations. Since we are living in a globalized world, it is difficult to
determine the monopoly of a particular sector over Cultural Diplomacy. Through the
course of this research, it emerges that different projects had a variety of sponsors. Hence,
keeping in mind the vast range of projects, three key categories were established. These
were:

(a) Examples of Cultural Diplomacy in the Public Sector: including projects which have
been solely funded by the government.

(b) Examples of Cultural Diplomacy in the Private Sector: including projects which have
been led by private companies, institutions or individuals.

(c) Examples of Cultural Diplomacy in the Civil Society: including projects which have been
initiated by NGOs in collaboration with Indian Government or foreign governments.

Following this division, each example given has been expanded upon to detail its sponsors,
objective, basic plan and the target audience. In the analysis we will expose whether the
projects are relevant or not to cultural diplomacy before concluding on the level of cultural
diplomacy in India.
2. Examples of Cultural Diplomacy in the Public Sector

2.1 International Youth Exchange Programme

Agent of Cultural Diplomacy: Department of Youth Affairs, Government of India
Agenda: Appreciation of different cultures and promoting world peace
Vehicle of Cultural Diplomacy: Scholarships
Target Audience: Young people between the age of 15-35, working particularly in the areas
of skills-development, improved self-employment, environment, population control, health,
drug abuse, AIDS, violence reduction, and in the fields of science and technology.
Website: http://yas.nic.in/index1.asp?langid=1&linkid=152

The project is an initiative taken by the Department of Youth Affairs, where official experts,
students and young professionals are encouraged to participate in international conferences,
seminars, workshops and so on, related to the the various fields highlighted above. Full
financial assistance is given to the participants but their nomination should be approved by
the State government/ Indian Embassies/ Foreign governments/ United Nations Agencies or
reputable NGOs based in India or abroad.

The exchange aims at:

 Attaining mutual understanding, friendship, exchange of ideas and experience between

the youth around the world.
 Promoting bi-lateral co-operation in the fields of science, technology and violence
reduction.
 Greater appreciation of different cultures and progress made by respective countries in
various fields.
 Promoting global peace, brotherhood and general prosperity of mankind.

The project operates in line with the growing necessity of cultural diplomacy to maintain peace
and understanding among the future generations across boundaries. Keeping the political
relations aside, the initiative takes into account the importance of cultural exchange as an
instrument to promote positive ties between people and nations, encouraging peace and
supporting prosperity globally.

2.2 Cooperating Training Programme

Agent of Cultural Diplomacy: Casa De La India (India House), Spain; University of Valladolid,
Spain; the Public University of Navarre and the NGO Fireflies of India
Agenda: encouraging mutual understanding, tolerance and dialogue by means of the
interchange of ideas and concepts of the world
Vehicle of Cultural Diplomacy: Courses held in Bangalore, India
Target Audience: Experts in development issues and co-operation with India
Website: http://www.casadelaindia.org/indianet/cm/indianet/tkContent?idContent=64&locale
=enUK&textOnly=false

The Cooperating Training Programme is one of the exchange programmes listed under the
projects commenced by Casa De La India (Indian Embassy) in collaboration with the
University of Valladolid, the Public University of Navarre and the NGO Fireflies of India. It is
designed to facilitate multi-disciplinary courses in India for the training of experts in
development issues and co-operation with India. The courses, lasting for a minimum of four
months. They are held in Bangalore and are open to university students in Spain who wish
to further their knowledge of the theoretical and practical aspects of co-operation in India.
The project is aimed at preventing political, economic and social conflicts on the
international, national and local stages, minimizing prejudice and distrust, encouraging
ecological knowledge and respect for the environment, promoting equal rights between the
sexes, social and religious groups, as well as helping mutual understanding, tolerance and
dialogue means of the interchange of ideas and concepts of the world.

2.3 Fulbright (International Educational Exchange Programme) in India

Agent of Cultural Diplomacy: U.S state government in collaboration with the Indian
government.
Agenda: Research, lecturing to promote mutual understanding in area studies (both
American and Indian) as well as on subjects of contemporary relevance to the U.S. and India
and professional training in newly emerging areas of importance to India such as environmental
sciences and agriculture.
Vehicle of cultural diplomacy: The Fulbright Programme offers study, teaching and research
grants for U.S. citizens to study in India and non-U.S. citizens to study in the United States.
Target Audience: Students, scholars, teachers, and professionals
Website: http://fulbright.state.gov/

The Fulbright Programme was established in 1946 under legislation introduced by then Senator
J. William Fulbright of Arkansas. The bilateral agreement on education exchange, signed by
Prime Minster Jawaharlal Nehru and U.S. Ambassador Loy Henderson on February 2, 1950 in
New Delhi, established the United States Educational Foundation in India. Earlier the
programme was majorly funded by United States Congress to the Department of State along
with the contributions from participating governments and host institutions in foreign
countries and in the United States, however, since 2008 the government of India has decided
to fund this programme, thus increasing the number of scholarships by more than 100 per
year. Since its establishment, around 4500 grants been awarded to Indian students to attend
universities in U.S f o r research purposes and to further their studies in areas of contemporary
relevance to U.S and India. Further, around 2800 Fulbright grants have been awarded to
U.S citizens to study and conduct research in India. The programme aims at promoting
mutual understanding between the nationals of India and the nationals of the US through the
educational exchange of outstanding scholars, professionals and students.

2.4 SAARC Chair/Fellowship/Scholarship Scheme 2011/2012

Agent of Cultural Diplomacy: ICCR (Government of India)
Agenda: The SAARC Chair, Fellowship and Scholarship Scheme was instituted in 1987 with the
aim of providing increased cross-fertilization of ideas through greater interaction among
students, scholars and academics in the SAARC countries.
Vehicle of Cultural Diplomacy: Postgraduate Scholarships
Target Audience: Students
Website: http://india.gov.in/overseas/study_india/scholarships_international.php

Following the main objective of promoting interaction among students, scholars and academics
from SAARC countries, the Indian government offers six fellowships and twelve scholarships to
students of the member countries (Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri
Lanka). Students are required to enroll on courses related to Economics, Education,
Environment, Agriculture, Mass Communication, Language and Literature, Sociology, Transport
Engineering, Applied Economics, Master of Business Administration Programme, Biochemistry,
Social Work, Food Technology and Home Science. By encouraging talented foreign students to
study in India, the programme facilitates dialogue and interaction between students of different
nationalities and in this way can be seen as an initiative which furthers cultural diplomacy.
3. Cultural Diplomacy in the Private Sector

3.1 Maximum India

Agent of Cultural Diplomacy: The Kennedy Centre, sponsored by private companies such as
PepsiCo, Tata, Tata Consultancy Services, and The Coca-Cola Company.
Agenda: Promoting different aspects of the country's diverse arts and culture, from folkloric to
classical and contemporary.
Vehicle of Cultural Diplomacy: A three week festival comprising of Cultural performances, movie
screenings, Indian Gastronomy festival, Literary Fest and art exhibitions.
Target Audience: US citizens and the Indian diaspora.
Website: http://www.kennedy-center.org/programmes/festivals/10-11/india/

Maximum India is a three week long festival celebrating India’s diverse culture and traditions,
and is organised by the Kennedy Centre, Washington DC in co-operation with the Indian
Council for Cultural Relations, New Delhi and the Indian Embassy, Washington DC. The event is
financially supported by private companies such as PepsiCo, Tata Consultancy Services. For U.S.
citizens as well as the Indian diaspora in U.S., Maximum India presents an opportunity experience
and engage with India‘s diverse arts scene. Dance, music and theatre performances by India’s
most acclaimed artists formed a central part of this cultural exchange.

3.2 Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles

Agent of Cultural Diplomacy: Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (NGO); sponsored by ArcLight
Hollywood, Chakra, Nickelodeon, Taj, Deluxe, Sony etc.
Agenda: Widening appreciation of Indian cinema and culture by showcasing films, supporting
emerging filmmakers, recognising the leadership of entertainment industry performers and
business executives, and promoting the diverse perspectives of the Indian diaspora.
Vehicle of Cultural Diplomacy: Film Festival
Target Audience: Patrons and enthusiasts of Indian films in the United States
Website: http://www.indianfilmfestival.org/index.php

The Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles is an annual event which is devoted to showcasing a mix
of films designed to build and support the growing interest in the Indian entertainment industry
in the U.S.A. It is aimed at generating an audience for Indian films while supporting the career
development filmmakers of Indian descent. The festival consists of:

 BOLLYWOOD BY NIGHT: this programme includes screenings of around twenty

Bollywood films, both classic and contemporary.
 QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSIONS: held with the film directors, producers and cast.
 AWARDS: Awards are presented to budding artists under the categories of Best
Feature, Best Documentary, Short and Audience
 INDUSTRY LEADERSHIP AWARDS: The awards are given to recognize the achievements
of industry executives who have had a substantial and personal impact on the creation
and distribution of Indian themed content globally and have led the expansion of
the entertainment and media industry in India.
 SEMINARS DAY- Speakers from corporations such as Disney, Fox Searchlight, Hyde Park
Entertainment, ITVS discuss the issues that impact upon both the Hollywood and
Bollywood inustries.
 ONE-ON-ONE- sessions with industry professionals from major production and
distribution companies.
3.3 Jaipur Literature Festival
Agent of Cultural Diplomacy: Private companies such as DSC, Team Works, Vodafone, The Times
of India and Fly Kingfisher.
Agenda: Celebrating national and international writers and encompassing a range of readings,
talks, literary lunches, debates, performances, children’s workshops and interactive activities.
Vehicle of cultural Diplomacy: Literary Festival
Target Audience: People of all age groups who are interested in national and international
literature.
Website: http://jaipurliteraturefestival.org/

The DSC Jaipur Literature Festival was originally an initiative of the Jaipur Virasat Foundation,
an NGO that works with Rajasthani musicians and craftspeople to preserve skills and promote
economic livelihood while preserving cultural heritage. The most recent directors of the
Festival are William Dalrymple and Namita Gokhale and the festival is produced by Sanjoy
K. Roy, Sheuli Sethi and Teamwork Productions. The aim of the festival is to bring authors
from all over the world onto the same platform to discuss their works with international
audience. The festival also brings together the international panorama of the literature and the
local flavor of the region in the form of music and dance performances.

3.4 The World Culture Festival 2011

Agent of Cultural Diplomacy: The Art of Living Foundation in co-operation with private
companies such as Lufthansa, Sony, BB radio and the Berliner Kurier.
Agenda: Promoting peace through cultural exchange.
Vehicle of Cultural Diplomacy: A show of the cultural heritage of four continents Asia, Europe,
America and Africa through performances of folk Dances, Music, Food, Literature, Conferences
And Intercultural Dialogue.
Target Audience: Predominantly German nationals and residents
Website: http://www.worldculturefestival.org/en/

The world culture festival was organised to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Art of Living
Foundation in Berlin, Germany in July, 2011. The event brought together 50,000 participants
from all over the world, thus creating a unique mix of sights, sounds, tastes from across seven
continents. The festival aimed to promote peace, intercultural dialogue and togetherness, and
brought together many senior governmental representatives, business leaders, academics,
leaders of NGOs, religious and spiritual leaders, peacemakers and renowned personalities from
all over the world to reflect on issues concerning world peace, unity and intercultural harmony.

3.5 India Art Fair

Agent of Cultural Diplomacy: Seventh Plane Networks Pvt. Ltd
Agenda: Promoting Indian and international artists in the Indian art market. Of the 84 galleries
participating, 34 were international galleries.
Vehicle of Cultural Diplomacy: Art exhibitions
Target Audience: Art enthusiasts, buyers and private collectors
Website: http://www.indiaartfair.in/about-IAF.aspx

Launched in 2008, the 3rd Edition of India Art Fair (2011) was visited by one hundred
thousand visitors across 4 days. Visitors came from 17 cities in India and 67 cities around the
world. Touted as one of the most widely attended fairs globally, around 87 art galleries
participated, out of which 34 were international galleries. In addition to the exhibition, the fair
also included sub-events such as a speakers‘ forum in which 42 speakers of global acclaim,
including Homi Bhabha, Anish Kapoor, Geeta Kapur, Sheena Wagstaff, Hou Hanru and Hans
Ulrich Obrist, partcipated to put forward their views on art and its impact over the world. The
India Art Fair is sponsored by Seventh Plane Networks Pvt. Ltd while around 37 partners like
Financial Times, The Art newspaper, Flash Art International and Canvas handled the media
publicity of the event.
3. Examples of Cultural Diplomacy in the Civil Society
3.1 International Cultural Exchange Programme: Reality Tourism
Agent: Organisation for Responsible and Community-Based Tourism (ORCBT).
Agenda: Programme aim to help increase the participants' understanding and tolerance of
other cultures, as well as improving their language skills and broadening their social horizons.
Vehicle of Cultural Diplomacy: cultural exchange programme.
Target Audience: Students, young people.
Website: http://www.realitytourism.org/

Reality Tourism, an Indian NGO, organise international cultural exchange programmes between
India and the UK, USA, Canada, Germany, France, Spain, Australia, Middle East, amongst
others. There are two scholarships schemes involved in this programme;

The first is cultural exchange- normally short term programmes, they are organised to
engage with different aspects of local culture. Students live with a local family and
participate in cultural events such as festivals or ceremonies. Students have the option to
participate in school activities including attending classes and/or visiting different places of
interest. The programme covers different aspects of Indian culture and provides an
opportunity to interact with local people in a home-environment and on a day-to-day basis.

The second encompasses university and school exchange programmes- these programmes
are organised by ORCBT and involve two participating educational institutes from different
countries (visitor and host institution). Visiting students attend school/college with local
students and stay with the family of local students. These programmes provide an excellent
opportunity to gain an understanding of different educational systems, family values, and
cultural differences, developing new perspectives and making friends abroad.

The scholarships include the living and the travel costs. The main highlights of the programme
include the home stays, cultural orientation, participation in local events, festivals and
celebrations, educational activities, and the opportunity to visit local tourist attractions.

3.2 Cultural Exchange Programme (YFU, India)

Agent: Youth for Understanding
Agenda: To give Indian students an opportunity to experience the culture of other nations
Vehicle of Cultural Diplomacy: Cultural Exchange Programme
Target Audience: Students
Website: http://www.yfuindia.org/index.html

Youth for Understanding is a part of the worldwide movement of organisations which have
the sole aim of working together to prepare young people for their responsibilities and
challenges in a swiftly changing world. YFU offers young people from all around the world
the opportunity to explore other nations and cultures, master new languages and discover
themselves. Students between the ages of 15 to 18 are exposed to a variety of intensive
exchange opportunities which help them to not only to adjust to new surroundings but also
enrich them with new experiences. According to the organisation, this cultural immersion is
the most effective way to encourage personal growth and openness to new ideas and
attitudes, as well as a deeper awareness of a common interest in the future and of shared
human values. Through this exchange, respect for human diversity is fostered and cultural
relations are deepened.
3.3 Sweden World Youth
Agent: The Swedish Centre for International Youth Exchange
Agenda: To offer young people the possibility to spend six months in Sweden, participating in a
programme designed to facilitate an exchange among nations as a means to promote peace,
inter- cultural understanding, and cross-cultural learning.
Vehicle of Cultural Diplomacy: international exchange programme
Target Audience: students and professionals between the ages 18-25

Sweden World Youth (SWY) is an educational and development programme organised by the
Centre for International Youth Exchange. The main aim of the programme is to empower the
students, and to create possibilities to gain international experience. The exchange takes place
between Sweden and India where the students spend half of their time in India and half in
Sweden. Each group created for this exchange consists of 16 participants, 8 from Sweden and 8
from India. During the exchange period, the group lives in a local community in order to gain a
first-hand experience of the different cultures involved.
4. Conclusion
In sum, this report has explored the commitment to cultural diplomacy initiatives across the
three sectors; public, private and civil society. Though it was difficult to pinpoint a particular
trend, it was generally seen that the government has been deeply involved in promoting
cultural diplomacy not only to safeguard the nation’s interests but also to engage with other
countries on a cultural level. As India is a developing nation, many others have been keen to
be a part of its growing industry. The Indian government has also established many cultural
centres abroad e.g. Tagore Centre in Berlin and Casa De La India in Spain, along with its
embassies, where events showcasing Indian culture are held at regular intervals. In addition to
this, international cultural centres like Instituto Cervantes and the Max Mueller Institute have
opened bases over India to maintain a constant exchange of students, teachers and more
importantly culture.

A number of projects from the private sector were also explored; to promote their brand on an
international level, the companies have engaged in sponsoring international events and not
only this, but there have also been many international schools which are run by some private
groups. Students, as well as professionals, are offered scholarships by companies to gain a
fruitful insight into international trade and economies, administration and resources. The
majority of the projects are targeted at students as they are in the best position to learn from
and share their cultural experiences. Their mobility ensures a constant flow of ideas and cultural
impressions which also benefit the growing diplomatic relations between the nations.

Overall, the research has shown that the level of cultural diplomacy in India is fairly high.
However, keeping in mind that there is always a scope for improvement, it is important to add
that although there are many sustainable projects which are being maintained, it would be
beneficial if more international events were to be hosted in India, thus increasing India‘s
international visibility. Moreover, artists should also be given a priority when it comes to
scholarships or funding projects, as they are the cultural ambassadors of the nation.
5. References
Cooperating TrainingProgramme:
http://www.casadelaindia.org/indianet/cm/indianet/tkContent?idContent=64&locale=en_UK&te
xtOnly=false

Fullbright (International Youth Exchange Programme): http://fulbright.state.gov/

India Art Fair: http://www.indiaartfair.in/about-IAF.aspx

Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles: http://www.indianfilmfestival.org/index.php

International Youth Exchange Programme: http://yas.nic.in/index1.asp?langid=1&linkid=152

Jaipur Literature Festival: http://jaipurliteraturefestival.org/

Kaushik, M., (1 September 2010). "Business Today – India's leading business magazine".
www.Businesstoday.intoday.in. Retrieved 3 October 2010

Maximum India: http://www.kennedy-center.org/programmes/festivals/10-11/india/

Reality Tourism: http://www.realitytourism.org/

SAARC Fellowship 2011/12:

http://india.gov.in/overseas/study_india/scholarships_international.php

Sweden World Youth: http://www.icdeindia.org/Swedish_Youth.html

THE World Culture Festival: http://www.worldculturefestival.org/en/

Youth for Understanding: http://www.yfuindia.org/index.html