The last meeting with outgoing Indian Ambassador to Cairo Sanjay Bhattacharyya and journalists after three years of diplomatic work in supporting and enhancing the bilateral relations between the two countries took place on 2 May at the headquarters of the Indian Embassy in Zamalek. The past three years were full of political, economic and cultural activities, as well as the periodic meetings with media personalities with whom he has been closely communicating since he took office in May 2015. Addressing the journalists, Bhattacharyya shared with them his memories about his first meetings with the Egypt's senior officials such as Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, as well as the Arab League's former secretary-general Nabil Al-Araby. The ambassador commented on the 6th edition of India by the Nile Festival (IBN) which took place last March at Cairo, Alexandria and Port-Said. “India by the Nile Festival is a spectacular display of the classical as well as contemporary art and culture of India. IBN represents the dramatic changes taking place in India. It reaches out to audiences in Cairo and other cities to share the diversity and developments in our music and dance, theatre and films, handicrafts and arts, and even sports and the economy to build new bridges, especially with the youth." "This year, IBN featured Brand India to promote understanding between the people and create new opportunities for cooperation. The biggest foreign festival in Egypt seeks to grow even bigger!” Remarkably, the dazzling fashion show by India's most celebrated and internationally acclaimed fashion designer Tarun Tahiliani was the highlight of the festival. He disclosed that a special committee in the Indian foreign ministry has been already founded to follow up on the development of the festival in the coming editions, adding that an Indian version of the festival entitled, Egypt by the Ganges River will see daylight soon. “Next year's round may include a costumes, jewellery and Indian handicrafts exhibition,” he added. He expressed his satisfaction with the past years success of Tagore and Gandhi festivals, disclosing that holding an essay writing competition for university students similar to the children painting competition “Glimpses of India” is under study. The final cultural activity to be witnessed by Bhattacharyya will be Tagore Festival from 3-7 May to commemorate the 157th birth anniversary of the Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore, the famous Indian poet, painter, writer and philosopher.
Indian Ambassador to Egypt, Sanjay Bhattacharyya, with the Egyptian journalists (Photo: courtesy of the Indian Embassy Media Office)
