January Issue 1 HONORARY CONSULATE OF ROMANIA 1 2008 KOLKATA Suite 2-B, Mr. B.K. Poddar – The Honorary Consul of Romania in the following Indian "Shree Ganesh states: West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkand, Orissa, Chattishgarh, Sikhim, Meghalaya, Centre" 216, AJC Bose Road, Assam, Manipur & Arunachal Pradesh. Kolkata 700017 ROMANIAN NATIONAL DAY CELEBRATION he first celebration of the Romanian National Day in Kolkata was ob- servedT on the 2nd December 2007. The reception was held in the Ball Room, Place Photo Ambassasor Oberoi Grand, Kolkata, and was at- & H Consul tended by a large number of dignitaries N E W S and the elite social crowd of the city. Over 250 guests attended the Recep- tion. The Ball Room, specially prepared The Honorary Consul of Romania, Mr B.K. Poddar, Mrs. for the occasion with floral decorations, Sofineti, Mrs. K. Poddar, and the Romanian Ambassador, His Place Excellency Mr. V. Sofineti. earned considerable praise from the guests. Artwork The Chief Secretary of West Bengal Here Government Mr. Amit Kiran Deb IAS Newsletter was the Chief Guest on the occasion. He shared the podium with the Ambas- sador His Excellency Mr. V. Sofineti and the Honorary Consul of Romania in Eastern India, Mr. B.K. Poddar. He Place Place Photo GroupHis spent considerable time at the party. Artwork Excellency Mr. V. Sofineti. National Anthems of Romania and In- Here dia were played. The Ambassador of Romania, His Ex- His Excellency Mr. V. Sofineti and Mrs. Sofineti with mem- cellency Mr. V. Sofineti, was introduced bers of the Romanian community. to most of the dignitaries & prominent R O M A N I A N D E L E G A T I O N businessmen and had fruitful discussion with them during the party. Place The International Seminar on HISTORY see next page Artwork of RELIGIONS to mark the centenary of Mircea Eliade (1907-1986) organized in Here Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, during 8-10 October 2007, brought to- gether Indian and Romanian scholars in a OF ROMANIA IN KOLKATA CONSULATE highly rewarding academic athmosphere. The Romanian delegation: Dr. Sorin Coming up Alexandrescu, Professor, University of activities: Bucharest; Dr. Andrei Oisteanu, President, Place Artwork Here The Romanian Association for the History 1. Kolkata Book of Religions, Centre for the History of Fair, 30 January - Ball Room, Oberoi Grand, Kolkata 10 February 2008 Religions, Faculty of History, University of Bucharest; Dr. Eugen Ciurtin, Research 2. Arrival in Fellow, Centre for the History of Religions, Kolkata of the Faculty of History, University of Bucharest, Ambassador of Dr. Gheorghe Stratan, Professor and Head, Romania, His History of Science, Babes Bolyai Univer- Excellency Mr. V. sity, Cluj Napoca; Dr. Stefan Borbely, Pro- Sofineti, for the fessor, Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj releasing of the Napoca; Dr. Traian Penciuc, Professor, Romanian books Targu Mures University of Theatre; Dr. published in Mihaela Gligor, Researcher, Romanian Kolkata. Academy, Cluj-Napoca branch; Filip-Lucian HONORARY Iorga from Romanian Cultural Institute Traian Penciuc, Mihaela Gligor, Sabina Finaru, Mr. & Mrs. (ICR). B.K. Poddar, G.Stratan, Dana Sugu, and Filip-Lucian Iorga see page 3 for details see next page 2 HONORARY CONSULATE OF ROMANIA – KOLKATA Issue 1 January 2008 The visit of His Excellency the Ambassador of Romania, Mr. Vasile Sofineti, can be consid- ered a curtain raiser for initiating future activities in the setting up of an Indo-Romanian Chamber of Commerce in Kolkata. A number of businessmen have indicated their keen desire to join this forum. ROMANIAN NATIONAL DAY Dr. S.K. Kar, Secretary ROMANIAN DELEGATION CELEBRATION General, Indo- Romanian Cultural onsiderable media coverage was Society – West Bengal C arranged by the Honorary also was present in The Romanian delegation visited Kolkata Consul. Reporters of The Telegraph, Kolkata during the visit during 12th-17th October. Various activities Times of India, Statesman & Ganashakti of His Excellency.He have been organized by the Honorary Con- met the Ambassador and the Honorary will act as a catalyst in sul of Romania in Kolkata. The Romanian del- Consul. initiating favourable response from the West egation visited the following places: the Asi- Television channels have also covered Bengal Government in atic Society, Jadavpur University, the Greek the visit of His Excellency the connection with Orthodox Church in Kalighat, Mother Ambassador including the National Day various activities to Terasa’s Home, Victoria Memorial, Vedic Vil- reception. An important Bengali News commemorate the lage, and a full day visit to Shantiniketan. Channel ‘Chabbis Ghante’ interviewed Birth Centenary They have attended a Cultural Programme at Mr Poddar during the reception on 2nd celebration of the Eastern Zone Cultural Centre (EZCC) and December’07. The reporter put forward noted Romanian have been invited to Cocktails & Reception various questions depicting interest in philosopher Mircea at Mr. B.K. Poddar’s residence. Maitreyi Romania on business as well as cultural Eliade in Kolkata. Devi's son, Mr. P. Sen and Mrs. Sen were also aspects. Mr. Poddar indicated a desire Naming of a park and a present to the Reception. for an ongoing interaction between the street in his name as well as installing a two countries in the form of business-cum- plaque on the house tourist groups, performing arts as well as where he lived will be academics. some of the activities carried out in coordina- CONSULATE OF ROMANIA IN KOLKATA CONSULATE tion with the Govern- ment of West Bengal. A number of Roma- nians, at present in Kolkata, studying or staying, were also invited to the reception on Sunday, 2nd Decem- Place Artwork Here ber’07 evening and thereafter an exclusive luncheon meeting with the Ambassador and Chabbis Ghante, a Bengali News Channel, interviewing Mr. B.K. the Honorary Consul Poddar on Monday, 3rd December’07. They were immensely happy at the prospect of having an exclusive meeting with the Ambassador and also at the setting up HONORARY of a Honorary Consu- late office in Kolkata. Place Artwork Here Place Artwork Here Mr. Poddar has been in touch with them during last few months and has promised them all help Cocktails & Reception at Mr. B.K. Poddar’s and cooperation in their residence effort to promote Cultural Programme at Eastern Zone Cultural bilateral ties between Centre (EZCC) the two countries. January Issue 1 HONORARY CONSULATE OF ROMANIA – KOLKATA 3 2008 33rd KOLKATA BOOK FAIR Meetings of the Honorary 29 January – 10 February 2008 Consul of Romania, Mr. B.K. Poddar r. B.K. Poddar, the Honorary Professor Mircea MConsul of Romania, visited Eliade: Reminiscences Rabindra Bharati University, Kolkata and Edited by Indian Institute of Management, Joka. Mihaela GLIGOR Mr. B.K. Poddar met, in the Rabindra and Mac Linscott Bharati University, Kolkata, the Vice- RICKETTS Chancellor, Prof. Karunasindhu Das. Foreword by There have been discussions regarding Mihaela GLIGOR cultural cooperation between their Preface by Mac Linscott University & Romanian Universities. RICKETTS Prof. K. Das said thet they would be very keen to have students from Romania, who Published by CODEX Publishing wish to get a good idea about Indian House, Kolkata philosophy, art & culture with special focus on the teachings and compositions of Rabindranath Tagore. In the Indian Institute of Management, Tagore's Garden Joka, Mr. B. K. Poddar met the Director, by Mr. Shekhar Chaudhuri. They are very Petre TANASOAICA much willing to receive students from Translated by Romania, of course after they pass Muguras Maria through the entrance examination. They PETRESCU are also keen to know what special study Published by and research facilities Indian students can CODEX Publishing look forward to in Romania. House, Kolkata OF ROMANIA IN KOLKATA CONSULATE A Tourism Fair has been organized by the West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation Ltd in Kolkata from 9th to 13th January’08. Mr. Poddar was invited as Chief Guest for the inauguration by the Managing Director, Mr. Rao. Mr. B.K. Poddar met the Hon’ble Min- ister for Tourism of West Bengal, Mr. 2008 Kolkata Book Fair - Releasing of Manabendra Mukherjee, and requested Romanian Books him to consider how Romania could be associated with this annual event. He promised to consider the same and in- he Ambassador of Romania, His Excellency Mr. structed Mr. Rao for a feed-back on the T V. Sofineti, on 6th February 2008, will release issue. the book "Professor Mircea Eliade: Reminiscences", edited by Ph. D. Mihaela Gligor, present at the Book HONORARY Fair. "Tagore's Garden" by Petre Tanasoaica is as well re- Please visit the website of the leased by His Excellency. Honorary Consulate of Romania at http://romanian-consulate-kolkata.blogspot.com for news related to the Consulate's activities. 4 HONORARY CONSULATE OF ROMANIA – KOLKATA Issue 1 JANUARY 2008 FLORAL EXHIBITION November 2007 el illum dolore eu feugiat nulla Qt wisi enim ad minim facilisis at vero eros et accumsan veniam, quis nostrud exerci V tatiullamcorper suscipit et iusto odio dignissim qui blandit lobortis nisl ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis praesent luptatum zzril delenit augue autem vel eum iriure dolor in duis dolore te feugait nulla Nam liber hendrerit in vulputate velit tempor cum soluta nobis eleifend esse molestie consequat, vel Photo illum dolore eu feugiat nulla option congue nihil imperdiet doming facilisis at vero eros et accumsan et iusto odio id quod mazim placerat facer possim dignissim qui blandit praesent assum. 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