India [antikvár]

: i<11 I ' _űEarewordNew World, Old World These are used as conu^dictory terms. As we hurtle towards the twenty-first century, science and technology are rapidly shrinking the dimensions of the globe, making us indeed into one world. It is appropriate that United States and India discover each other, not merely as countries whose national interests must necessarily converge at some points and diverge at others, but as people, as human beings, as part of the community of mankind whose aspirations have so much in common.It is this which my mother, Indira Gandhi, had in mind when she agreed to have a Festival of India in the United States.In one of the largest-ever country-to-counuy programmes, Americans will have the opportunity to experience at first hand the many facets of India. A range of exhibitions, concerts, symposia and associated acdvities will unlock the riches of India, both ancient and contemporary. Much of what will be seen is planned and executed by a new generation of Indians, young people who are intensely proud of their heritage and are, at the same dme, learning to experiment, to innovate for the future.In a sense, the Festival condnues a dialogue lhat has existed for over a hundred years. Indian thinkers of the last few decades have been profoundly influenced by their American contemporaries. Our freedom struggle drew much from the expressed ideals of all men being created equal and of "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." The flow has been two-way. One has only to think of Emerson, and of Martin Luther King, to realise that. But a certain false mythology has obscured vision on both sides, and there is a tendency to associate India rather too closely with her period of colonialism.The Festival of India, I hope, will dispel these distortions and lead to a new vision of India. Side by side with the antiquity and splendour of our heritage, and the remarkable gifts of our ardsans and craftsmen, there will be on display the new India, seeking to absorb new methods and new technologies, in a manner most suitable to her circumstances.Ultimately the Fesdval is about people. It is not only an invitation to the people of America to share the Indian experience; it is also a rich tribute to the many generations of Indian people whose genius and labour have created and shaped it.(Rajiv Gandhi)New Delhi April 25. 1985