The Embassy of India in the Republic of Uzbekistan, Lal Bahadur Shastri Center for Indian Culture (LBSCIC) and Tashkent State Institute of Oriental Studies (TSIOS) jointly organized the seminar, Jahon information agency reported.

The rector of the Institute, Prof. A. Mannanov has opened the seminar with warm words of welcome. In his inaugural speech the Ambassador of India, H.E. Mr. Skand R. Tayal, spoke of the long tradition of Indological Studies in this region. He especially lauded the pioneering role of Tashkent in promoting Indological Studies in Central Asia.

The ’India Chair’ of Tashkent State Institute of Oriental Studies was established in 1949 and was later renamed in 1995 as ’South Asian Languages Department.’ Last year the department celebrated its 60th jubilee by organizing an international conference. In November 2006 a National Seminar of the Uzbek Indologists dedicated to the Birth Anniversary of Jawaharlal Nehru was held at the TSIOS jointly with the Indian Embassy and LBSCIC.

More than 100 scholars participated in the international seminar in Tashkent. The first plenary session saw the presentation of overview by heads of delegations on the work being accomplished in the areas of research in Indology/Central Asia at the leading Institutions in their respective countries. The next three sessions covered the following subjects: History and Culture; Politics, Economy and International Relations; and Languages and Literature. The suggestions and proposals for further developing the Indological Studies in Central Asia and Central Asian Studies in India were discussed at the final session.