The event was organized by the Fund Forum, the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Russia, the Ministry of Culture of Astrakhan Oblast, “Uzbekistan” Culture Society and several cultural organizations.

The round table, which was attended by leading culture and art professionals, scholars and members of cultural organizations as well as representatives of educational institutions, was given the goal of increasing the youth awareness of the cultural legacy as well as highlighting the lives and work of our outstanding forefathers.

In her welcome speech, Violetta Aksenova of the Astrakhan Oblast Governor’s Office, noted that “the most notable part is that the round table was organized by the Uzbek youth who cherish their historical roots and the cultural legacy of their forefathers.” The students who were among those attending recited poems written by Babur and made speeches on his life, creativity and the state affairs he oversaw in India back in the day.

Among the attendees was an author of a number of books on spirituality, Nuruddin Fatek Ali of India, who spoke at length about Babur’s role in India’s cultural and economic development as well as the impact of Uzbek culture at large. In his words, “throughout his activities Babur pursued the goal of developing major Indian cities that were under his control. The planning and designing of public and private buildings, their interior and exterior, which relied largely on Central Asian style blended harmoniously with Indian forms and style and led to a fusion of two cultures, Indian and Central Asian. This process was continued by Babur’s successors, which is visible in the style of major edifices built in North India by his descendants.”

Babur managed to unite to a certain degree the piecemeal country and enforce important measures related to land and water relations and the tax system. On his order, mosques were improved, facilities created, baths built and wells dug. In major cities such as Delhi, Agra, Lahore and Devalpur, Babur created gardens and parks with decorative plants. Characteristically, Babur employed the Central Asian style of charbag (four gardens) in the designing of parks.

Historian and country studies teacher of Astrakhan State University, Andrei Syzranov, talked about the history of Baburids’ dynasty and historical ties of Astrakhan Oblast and Uzbekistan. “Thanks to his outstanding abilities, Babur went down in history not only as a military commander and founder of the Baburid dynasty in India, but also as a poet and scholar, who left a rich literary and scholarly legacy in the area of Islamic jurisprudence,” he said. “A talented writer and patron of arts, literature and science, he contributed to and left a considerable mark in many spheres in the lives of people in Central Asia, Afghanistan and India.”

Toward the end of the event the participants were presented with books by our eminent ancestors on behalf of the Fund Forum.