Paramahansa Yogananda
29-Oct-2019: Finance Minister Releases Commemorative Coin on Paramahansa Yogananda to Mark his 125th Birth Anniversary
The Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman released a special commemorative coin on Paramahansa Yogananda to mark his 125th birth anniversary.
Speaking on the occasion, the Finance Minister said this moment is big honour for her. She said that the Paramahansa Yogananda was great son of India, who became so recognised globally. His penetrating sharp eyes are full of divine force, she said. The importance lies in his universal message of bringing harmony among mankind and making it so acceptable globally even when communications modes were limited. India feels very strongly about this great son of the Universe who brought in harmony to all our hearts & minds.
Guru Padmasambhava
30-Jan-2019: International conference on 8th century sage Guru Padmasambhava
Celebrating 50-years of formalization of diplomatic ties between India and Bhutan, a two-day international conference on 8th century Himalayan sage Guru Padmasambhava was held in New Delhi that saw the participation of distinguished scholars from both countries.
The conference, organised by the Centre for Escalation of Peace (CEP) and titled 'Life and Legacy of Guru Padmasambhava', was held on January 29-30. Scholars from both countries discussed the Guru who was born in India and moved towards Bhutan in the 8th century to spread Buddhism and Buddhist teachings all across the Himalayan region.
This seminar has been organized as a part of a series of events that are being organised to celebrate India-Bhutan friendship. Guru Padmasambhava was born in India and is highly respected in Bhutan. India-Bhutan relations have been good all through the last 70 years. In fact, from the earliest part of the 20th century, even during the British era, we had good relations with Bhutan.
Guru Padmasambhava visited Bhutan two times. His importance is seen everywhere. There is an image or painting of the guru in every Bhutanese home or temple. He is remembered by people almost all day long.
The two countries share formal diplomatic ties for half a century now but the relations between India and Bhutan date back to centuries and has only grown stronger with time.
The Guru spent a large amount of his time in Nalanda there and then he travelled across the Himalayas. He is known as the second Buddha because he brought Buddhism in Bhutan and other Himalayan countries.
Parallel to the conference, an art exhibition, showcasing rare artefacts associated with Guru Padmasambhava, was also held.
Thangka paintings, sculptures and photographs portrayed the life and teachings of the Guru, who is also known as the second Buddha as he played a very crucial role in spreading Buddhism in North-East India, Nepal, Bhutan and Tibet.
Salome Zurabishvili
26-Nov-2018: Georgia elects Salome Zurabishvili as first woman president
Salome Zurabishvili has won Georgia's presidential election, becoming the first woman to hold the office. With nearly all votes counted, the French-born ex-diplomat had 59% of the vote with rival Grigol Vashadze on 40%.
Ms. Zurabishvili was backed by the ruling Georgian Dream party, while Mr. Vashadze was a united opposition candidate.
A new constitution is due to come into force, making the role of president largely ceremonial.
Ms. Zurabishvili, 66, was born in Paris after her parents fled Georgia in 1921 following its annexation by Soviet forces. She took up a career in the French foreign service and was posted to the Georgian capital, Tbilisi, as ambassador in 2003. She later gave up her post and the then-president of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili, appointed her foreign minister.
It is the last direct election of a Georgian president, as the country is switching to a parliamentary system, following constitutional reforms adopted last year.
Georgia is seeking European Union and Nato membership. But both ambitions are obstructed by Russia's troop presence in Abkhazia and South Ossetia - breakaway regions of Georgia.