NEW DELHI: Selected films from Bollywood are part of a three-day Festival of India in Lao Peoples Democratic Republic inaugurated today by the Lao Minister for Information, Culture and Tourism Dr. Bosengkham Vongdara and Indian’s Culture Secretary Ravindra Singh in the capital city of Vientiane at the National Cultural Hall.
Speaking on the occasion, Singh said the Festival of India in Lao PDR would encourage people to increase India’s cultural ties with the south east Asian countries and deepen the historical bonds. He thanked the Lao Authorities for contributing towards the development of the Nalanda University. The South Zone Cultural Centre is the nodal agency for conducting the event.
Official level delegation talks were also held on a wide range of subjects between the two countries. The Indian side was led by Singh while the deputy prime minister and foreign minister Dr. Thongloun Sisoulith led the delegation of Lao PDR.
Indian Ambassador to Lao PDR Gururaja Rao said that the talks were cordial and constructive and India and Laos would seek to sign the Cultural Exchange Program in the coming days as also enhance people to people contact efforts.
Selected films of Bollywood would also be presented in the Festivals of India to be held in Cambodia, Vietnam and Myanmar.
The films include Jodha Akbar, Dil Chahta Hai, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam etc. The film festival would be presented by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry.
They will be part of the Festival being organised by the Culture Ministry. The Festivals of India in Cambodia would be held from 14 to 19 February. The Festivals of India in Vietnam will be held from 6 to 15 March and in Myanmar from 17 to 21 March.
The Indian delegation to the Festivals of India led by Culture Secretary Ravindra Singh will have artiste delegation of 75 artistes.
The two festivals would also comprise a Dance Festival of Classical Dance on Ramayana; a Buddhist Exhibition Dhamma Darshan presented by the Nava Nalanda Mahavihara; a Buddhist Mahotsava by the Central Institute of Himalayan Culture Studies in Dahoo, Arunachal Pradesh; a Food Festival by the Tourism Ministry; and aMehendi Art and Yoga festival by artists from the South Zone Cultural Centre and Yoga teachers from the Department of Ayush.
