06/06/2026
At the invitation of Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU), Ambassador Vikram Doraiswami met the students and witnessed their impressive achievements in learning Indian languages, including Tamil, Hindi, Bengali, and Sanskrit. He was also briefed on instruction in Pali, Punjabi, and Urdu, including during his meeting with University President Jia Wenjian, who spoke about BFSU’s capabilities in more than 100 foreign languages.
In his lecture, “Bridging Civilizations through Language and Learning,” Ambassador highlighted how the study of languages, societies, and a dialogue of ideas was a defining feature of India-China engagement for over two millennia. Citing examples from the Mauryan period to the modern era, he noted how exchanges between the world’s two oldest continuous civilizations enriched both societies through the sharing of knowledge, philosophy, artistic traditions, technologies, and innovation.
He emphasized that such interactions have historically generated mutual benefit and remain more important than ever as both countries undergo profound economic, technological, and social transformation. The lecture also explored the remarkable changes taking place in India today and the need for deeper knowledge, academic engagement, and people-to-people exchanges to better understand each other’s contemporary realities.
The lecture was followed by a lively and interactive Q&A session, during which students engaged the Ambassador on a wide range of topics.
Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India Indian Council For Cultural Relations
