(a) whether the Government through Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) is enhancing the cultural diplomacy worldwide through various Indian Cultural activities, heritage culture and in recent scenario the ancient Yoga;
(b) If so, the details thereof;
(c) the list of countries where these centres are functional; and
(d) the details of the staff already working and the recruitment procedures?
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
[SHRI V. MURALEEDHARAN]
(a)&(b) Yes, Indian Council for Cultural Relations has been engaged in enhancement of India’s cultural profile worldwide through its activities in various fields including inter-alia, teaching of Yoga, Dance, Music and Indian languages abroad; sponsoring visits of performing art groups; organizing Indian festivals abroad; hosting foreign cultural groups; organizing/supporting conferences/seminars/workshops in various fields including Yoga & Ayurveda; supporting Chairs of Indian Studies in various foreign universities; offering scholarships to foreign students to study in India; hosting eminent academicians/distinguished visitors in India; promotion of Hindi; gifting of busts/statues of Mahatma Gandhi and other national heroes; exchanging visual art exhibitions; celebration of International Day of Yoga.
(c) ICCR runs 37 Indian Cultural Centres (ICCs) in 35 Countries located in Kabul, Sydney, Dhaka, Thimphu, Sao Paulo, Beijing, Prague, Cairo, Suva, Berlin, Georgetown, Budapest, Jakarta, Bali, Tehran, Tokyo, Nur Sultan, Kuala Lumpur, Male, Port Louis, Mexico City, Yangon, Kathmandu, The Hague, Moscow, Durban, Johannesburg, Seoul, Colombo, Paramaribo, Dushanbe, Dar-e-salaam, Bangkok, Port of Spain, London, Tashkent and Hanoi. ICCR also extends support to the Indian Cultural Centres in Vallodolid(Spain) and Busan(Republic of Korea) on Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.
(d) Currently, 142 India-based teachers are deployed in Indian Missions/Posts/ICCs teaching Indian Dance, Music, Indian languages and Yoga. Besides these, currently there are 19 Professors deployed as Chairs of Indian Studies in foreign universities. Their selection is done through open advertisement.
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