Editors of Russkiy Mir
– You are a Professor of Russian at Jawaharlal Nehru University. How much demand is there for Russian among Indian students today? How widespread is it?
– In India today the Russian language is very popular among Indian students. As a result, this language is taught in more than 40 universities, located in the north, west, south, and east of India. But only in our Center of Russian Studies (CRS JNU) does there exist a five-year intensive course in the Russian language.
– What motivates students to learn Russian?
– After finishing our Russian language curriculum, CRS students gain the opportunity of working in various academic institutes—in universities, institutes, state and private centers—and also in the tourism field (as tour guides, for instance), in government offices (as translators), in hospitals (as doctors), and in other offices.
– Do they have an opportunity to visit Russian institutions as part of a student exchange?
– Yes, our university has agreements with various Russian universities—the likes of Moscow State University, Tomsk State University, Moscow Region State University, and others. We have a yearly exchange of instructors and students. Our university has a very positive attitude toward this process, and so in the near future we will sign agreements to collaborate with other universities in Russia.
– What best characterizes your relationship to Russia today?
– A feeling of friendship and mutual understanding, optimism, and the desire to work together in various capacities (academically, culturally, socially) in order to improve and reinforce our ties in the future.
– In your view, are the cultural and humanitarian ties between our countries developing well enough? Or is there something missing?
– Of course, there’s still a lot that can be done to develop cultural and humanitarian ties between our countries. All the more because 2017 will mark the 70-year anniversary of the establishment of Indo-Russian diplomatic relations. We would like for more mutually beneficial agreements to be signed in various areas, including in that of education. And for development in the exchange of opinions on questions of importance to both countries.
