Dhaka University Hindi department's 25-member India study tour: academic exchanges in Delhi, Varanasi and Agra

A 25-member delegation of students and teachers from the Hindi department of Dhaka University's Institute of Modern Languages has toured India. The visit, held from 1 to 10 July under a student travel programme jointly organised by the Indian High Commission in Dhaka and the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), took the group to Delhi, Varanasi and Agra.

Led by the institute's director, Professor Mohammad Absar Kamal, the study tour aimed to give the students a close look at India's language, culture and heritage, and to deepen the historic friendly ties between the two countries.

The tour began with the delegation's arrival in Delhi on 1 July, followed by educational, academic and cultural programmes in the capital, Varanasi and Agra.

On 2 July the delegation paid a courtesy call on Sahitya Akademi secretary Dr Barun Gulati at Rabindra Bhavan in Delhi. It then visited Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), where an academic exchange was held with teachers and students in the presence of Professor Shobha Shivashankaran, dean of the School of Language, Literature and Culture Studies, and Professor Sudhir Pratap Singh, head of the Centre of Indian Languages. The same day, the group visited Delhi Public School at Vasant Kunj and saw the Piprahwa Buddha relic international exhibition at Qila Rai Pithora in Lado Sarai.

On 3 July the delegation visited the Prime Ministers' Museum and the UNESCO World Heritage site of Humayun's Tomb. At the University of Delhi's Hindi department, an exchange was held in the presence of South Campus director Professor Rajni Abbi, Faculty of Arts dean Professor Urmi Nanda Biswas and department head Professor Sudha Singh.

On 4 July the group visited the National Museum, Qutub Minar, the Red Fort and Jama Masjid. In the evening, the delegation watched the Hindi musical 'Shashi Punnu' at the LTG Auditorium in Mandi House.

On 5 July the delegation travelled from Delhi to Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. In the evening, a cruise on the Alaknanda from Assi Ghat to Namo Ghat took them past the historic ghats along the Ganges.

On 6 July the group paid a courtesy call on Banaras Hindu University vice-chancellor Professor Ajit Kumar Chaturvedi and joined an exchange at the Hindi department in the presence of its head, Professor Raj Kumar. That afternoon they visited the World Heritage site of Sarnath and the Sarnath archaeological museum.

On 7 July the delegation travelled from Varanasi via Delhi to Agra, visiting Itmad-ud-Daula, Sikandra and the Uttar Pradesh handicrafts complex in the afternoon. On 8 July, after meeting Kendriya Hindi Sansthan director Professor Hari Shankar, the group visited the Taj Mahal and Agra Fort.

On 9 July the delegation met ICCR director general K. Nandini Singla at Azad Bhavan in Delhi. Singla highlighted the role of youth, language and culture in strengthening Bangladesh-India friendly relations. The same day, the group exchanged views with foreign students studying in Delhi on ICCR scholarships and attended a special lecture and demonstration on Indian classical dance at Azad Bhavan.

The delegation returned to Dhaka on 10 July. ICCR assistant programme officer (travel programme) S. S. Lotwal accompanied the group throughout the tour.

After the tour, on 20 July, the Indian High Commission in Dhaka hosted a special exchange meeting with the delegation members, chaired by Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi.

A key aim of the tour was to explore better Hindi language teaching, academic resources and research opportunities for Dhaka University students, and wider access to language-teaching programmes at Indian universities and specialised institutions.