Soft power touch: India launches mega project to enhance people-to-people ties with Bangladesh

India has chalked out a major program to boost people-to-people contacts with Bangladesh that includes increasing scholarships, creation of chairs in each others' country and strengthening of musical bonds. This program is being launched coinciding with PM Narendra Modi's visit to Dhaka on March 26-27 on the occasion of 50 years of Bangladesh's independence and 50 years of creation of bilateral diplomatic ties and birth centenary of Sheikh Mujibur Rehman.

ET has learnt while a chair of Bangladesh studies in the Delhi University and India Studies in the Dhaka university under the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR). Besides ICCR will increase scholarships for the Bangladeshi nationals including 100 scholarships for top meritorious students.

Besides eyeing to strengthen cross-border musical bonds, the ICCR has decided to focus on assisting to create a pool of Bangladeshi artists who would specialise in instrumental music.


Meanwhile a 'raag' dedicated to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman composed with fully traditional and classical rules has been created by noted Indian musician Ajoy Chakrabarty. The raag has been named as "Maitree"