KATHMANDU: Indian Ambassador to Nepal Vinay Mohan Kwatra has inaugurated an international seminar titled ‘Sanskrit: Source of Eastern Culture’ on the occasion of World Sanskrit Day 2021, in Kathmandu, Sunday.

The seminar was organized by the Embassy of India in Nepal in partnership with Nepal Sanskrit University, Dang, to celebrate the glory of Sanskrit, the language of the Vedas, and revive awareness about the Sanskrit language. The seminar was held in hybrid mode – physically and virtually – keeping in mind the Covid-19 pandemic.

Luminaries such as Nepal’s cultural expert Satya Mohan Joshi, Padmashri awardee  Chamukrishna Shastri and other eminent scholars from India, Nepal, US and UK attended the inaugural session of the seminar.

Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba delivered a video message on the occasion. The President of Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) Vinay Sahasrabudhe also conveyed his best wishes for the event through video message.

Fifteen Sanskrit scholars from Nepal presented their research papers and more than 30 scholars from India and abroad presented their papers and views virtually on different topics, including Sanskrit language, literature, culture, tantra, grammar, ayurveda, jyotish and Yoga during the seminar.

Vice-Chancellors of Nepal Academy, Kathmandu University, Pokhara University, Lumbini Buddhist University presented their views on the occasion as well as Rector from Nepal Sanskrit University and Deans from Tribhuvan University, Lumbini University, along with several Sanskrit scholars.

All together, 45 Professors from Nepal, India and abroad presented papers and participated in academic interaction. Thousands of enthusiasts also joined the seminar virtually on Facebook Live.

A book titled “Sanskrit: The Common Treasure of India and Nepal” was also launched during the seminar. The book was launched by Indian Ambassador Kwatra along with cultural expert and Centenarian Joshi, scholar Shastry and Prof. Bhim Prasad Khatiwada.