Kuala Lumpur : High Commission of India, Kuala Lumpur celebrated the 75th Foundation Day of Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) at Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Indian Cultural Centre (NSCBICC), Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday, 16 April 2024.
His Excellency Mr. B.N. Reddy, High Commissioner of India to Malaysia, presided over the event. The event was attended by eminent personalities from the world of Indian culture in Malaysia, heads of Indian community associations and socio-cultural organizations in Malaysia. Among the 120 plus guests were Datuk Ramli Ibrahim, Founder of Sutra Foundation, Ms. Vatsala Sivadas, Ms. Radha Shetty and Ms. Thava Malar, Founder Directors of the Temple of Fine Arts, Ms. Vinosree Shankar, Artistic Director of Padma Nrithyalaya Arts, Mr. Samuel J. Dass, Sitar Maestro, Mr. Prabhakaran Nair, Founder President of Malaysia-India Heritage Society, Mr. Gunasegaran Sreerangan, President of Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO), Malaysia among other esteemed patrons of NSCBICC.
Ms. Subhashini Narayanan, Deputy High Commissioner and Acting Director, NSCBICC welcomed the gathering and shared NSCBICC‘s activities for 2023-2024. H.E. Mr. B.N. Reddy delivered the special address on the occasion and elaborated on ICCR’s journey of creating cultural understanding between India and Malaysia, and the world over the years.
Through a video message, Shri Kumar Tuhin, Director General, ICCR shared the work and reach out of ICCR through out the world. The event saw the screening of a video on the cultural events conducted by High Commission of India, Kuala Lumpur/Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Indian Cultural Centre (NSCBICC) during 2023-24. In addition, the students of NSCBICC along with Shri Sreekumar Ramakrishnan, Carnatic Vocal Teacher performed Indian classical music. Captivating performances of various Indian classical dance forms such as Bharatanatyam, Kathak and Kuchipudi were performed by the alumni of NSCBICC as well as the students of the Temple of Fine Arts.
ICCR alumni enthusiastically participated in the event and shared poignant testimonials of their association with ICCR and the positive impact on their professional journeys. Among the alumni who spoke were Prof. Dr. Krishna Gopal Rampal, Professor of Community and Occupational Medicine at the University of Cyberjaya (UoC), Ms. Kalashree J. Aswini Devendran and Ms. Dhanya Sree Sasikumar, Performing Artists.
The event marked the 75th year of establishment of Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) founded on 9th April 1950 by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, the first Education Minister of India with the objective of fostering and strengthening cultural relations and mutual understanding between India and the world.
In Kuala Lumpur, a full-fledged Indian Cultural Centre (ICC) was inaugurated on 10th February 2010 which was later renamed to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Indian Cultural Centre (NSCBICC) during the visit of H.E. Shri Narendra Modi, Hon’ble Prime Minister of India to Malaysia from 21st to 23rd November 2015.
