Contributions of Andrei Tarkovskiy Remembered at RCSC The significant contributions made by well-known Soviet and Russian film-maker Sergei Tarkovskiy to the world of cinematography were remembered and rich tributes paid to him by speakers at a function to mark his 80th birthday anniversary at the Russian Centre of Science and Culture on January 27, 2012. The function comprised a discussion on the creative work of Andrei Tarkovskiy and the screening of his first feature film “Ivan’s Childhood” (1962), which was awarded the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival. Andrei Tarkovskiy (April 4, 1932—December 29, 1986), a Soviet/ Russian film-maker, writer, film editor, film theorist, theatre and opera director, is widely regarded as one of the finest film-makes of the XX century. Apart from Ivan’s Childhood, his films include Andrei Rublev, Solaris, The Mirror, Stalker, Nostalgia and The Sacrifice. In his interesting observation, Mr. Saibal Chatterjee, a film and medic critic and a winner of National Award for the Best Writing on Cinema in 2003, underlined the technique uniquely adopted by Tarkovskiy in his films. He noted that Ivan’s Childhood had become a war film of great distinction, and turned out to be a film of the century. He used his camera genuinely so as to make his films as “poetry on celluloid”, he said, adding that Tarkovskiy kept purity all along in film-making. In her brilliant portrayal of Tarkovskiy’s impressive style of film-making, Dr. Rashmi Doraiswamy, Hon. Deputy Director of the Academy of Third World Studies, Jamia Millia Islamia, a recipient of the National Award for the Best Film Critic in 1995, pointed out that he belonged to a tradition of those who use consciousness, realism, spiritualism and mysticism. All his seven films will remain in the memory of people across the world for many years to come. She made a special mention of the dream sequences in “Ivan’s Childhood” structured discreetly, the panoramic views on flight scenes, use of sound wisely punctuated with symbolism, etc. Tarkovskiy conveyed his favourite message through his movies, she added. Throwing light on the universally recognised salient features of films made by Tarkovskiy, Mr. Alexander Antipin, Senior Correspondent of the ITAR-TASS News Agency in New Delhi, quoted Ingmar Bergman as saying that “Tarkovskiy for me is the greatest of us all, the one who invented a new language, true to the nature of film as it captures life as a reflection, life as a dream”. Making an analytical note on the in-depth phenomenon of Tarkovskiy’s film-making, Mr. S.S. Sharma, a film director and producer, Consultant of the Nabard Consultancy Services (Social, Rural Economic Development), and a Member of Citizens’ Film Forum, made a reference to the enormous awareness largely present in the globally-acclaimed Soviet/Russian film-maker. He said that Tarkovskiy inherited art and poetry from his parents, and his films are marked by memorable images of childhood.

Kathak Performance at RCSC to Mark Anniversary of Indian Republic Day The Russian Centre of Science and Culture presented a gala cultural programme entitled “Kathak without Borders” to mark the 63rd Anniversary of the Republic Day of India on January 25, 2012. The function was held within the framework of the 65th Anniversary of the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between Russia and India. Literally, the cultural programme is a gift from the artists of CIS Countries to the people of India on the occasion of the two historic dates mentioned above. The participants were Pt. Kalinath Mishra, Pt. Rajendra Chaturvedi, Raksha Singh David, Svetlana Milovanova, Natalia Dits, Kriventsovea Mariya, Irina Biryukova, Elisha Deep, Galiya Akhmetova and Bahtiyorjon. Major Dalbir Singh, Secretary, All-India Congress Secretary and Mr. Sergei Karmalito, Senior Counsellor, Embassy of the Russian Federation in India, formed part of the large gathering to witness the colourful function. The audience was overwhelmed by the spectacular presentation of Kathak dance numbers by the exponent Pt. Rajendra Chaturvedi accompanied by the amazing Tabla performance by Pt. Kalinath Mishra, one of the foremost table-players. The performance by Raksha Singh David, too, one of the promising Kathak dancers of the Indian Kathak scenario, was indeed memorable. Svetlana Milovanova, who learned Bharatnatyam from Akmaral Kainazarova and Kathak from Renu Bassi Kazakhistan, made the gathering spell-bound with her excellent performance. Natalia Dits who learnt Kathak in Russia under Guru Shri Ashwani Nigam, and presently in India through an ICCR scholarship showed her worth in Kathak. Kriventsova Mariya, learning under Guru Ram Mohan, and Irina Biryukova, now having training under Pt. Birju Maharaj, did justice to the art of Kathak with their momentous performance. Galia Akhmetova and Bahtiyorjon, who learnt Kathak in Kazakhistan and Uszbekistan, respectively, and now continuing to learn the art in India, proved their mettle through impressive performance.

Solo Exhibition by Surjit Akre at RCSC The 56th Solo Exhibition entitled “Earthly Heaven” by noted Indian artist Surjit Akre was opened at the Russian Centre of Science and Culture (RCSC) on January 20, 2012. The exhibition which will continue till January 31, 2012, consists of 61 recent painting, oil on canvas on different themes. In the exhibition, the artist interprets her feelings of love to her motherland and her countrymen. Ms. Menaka Gandhi, Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha), was the Chief Guest of the function, and Ms. Archana Shastri, Professor, Contemporary Indian Arts and Photography, Head of the Department of Kaladarshana, Indira Gandi National Centre for the Arts, New Delhi, - the Guest of Honour. In his welcome remarks, Mr. Fyodor A. Rozovskiy, Director, RCSC, said that the exhibition assumes special dimension as it is being dedicated to the 65th Anniversary of the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between the erstwhile Soviet Union and Republic of India. This major painting exhibition organized at the RCSC is part of the series of important and interesting functions dedicated to this date. He said that later this year the people of India could witness the Festival of Russian Culture, being organized by the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation. It is significant that Surjit Akre has gifted some of her paintings to Madam Putina, First Lady of the Russian Federation, and Valentina Tereshkova, First Woman-Cosmonaut of the World, Mr. Rozovsiky added. Sharing her experience, Surjit Akre said that the present show depicts the love for Earth and its present life. As she says, “In Heaven we will not do all the things what we liked to do in this life, eat, drink, go to parties, play tennis, etc. Earth is so beautiful and I try to depict all the beauty in my canvases”. The inner life of a young woman, her desires and aspirations are well presented in her works. Young damsels, surrounded by serpents and a messenger-bird, representing life and hope, and the life a young woman within the four-walls of her house while she is busy with her creative act besides holding the moon in her hand all the time being in communication with her lover constitute her works. Surjit Akre, a fine artist with a sound academic training, has the honour to be the first Indian artist studied painting at the prestigious Ilya Repin Institute of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture, St. Petersburg, Russia. She has displayed her works since 1985 onwards in group shows and solo shows at various galleries of Delhi and outside at national and international levels. These shows have always exposed her penchant for originally and innovation. She has used both compositional skill and textural qualities in her works, sometimes in romantic vein. Decorated with the Order of the Red Banner of Labour in St. Petersburg, she is the Founder President of the Indo-Russian Roerich’s Art Society affiliated to the Russian Centre of Science and Culture, New Delhi. In 2009, she was awarded the Pushkin Medal by the President of the Russian Federation.

Concert by "DIXIELAND JAZZ GROUP" in New Delhi
A scintillating music performance was presented by the artists of Jazz Band "DIXIELAND GROUP" from Kaliningrad, at the Russian Centre of Science and Culture (RCSC), New Delhi, on January 11,2012. The group comprising of Yuriy Tverdov (trombon player and band leader), Ivan Shevtsov (saxophonist), Viyacheslav Hundyakov (trumpeter), Alexandr Chaikin (keybord player), Yevgeniy Kalinin (bass-guitar player), Alexandr Polkovnikov (percussionist), Dmitry Sedov (vocalist), Veronika Skorohod (vocalist), Alisa Gracheva (vocalist) and Taisia Tverdova (administrator) performed a good range of jazz standards and worldwide rock-n-roll hits first released by various renowned names in the music world. Some of the musical numbers played by "DIXIELAND GROUP" were: "The girl from Ipanama" by Antonio Carlos Jobim, "Real love" by V.Obodzinskii, "Summer time" by Gershwin George, "Rehab" by Amy Winehouse, Elvis Presley's sentimental ballad "Love me tender", Gloria Gaynors's signature song "I will survive" ,"Caravan" covered by countless jazz musicians including Duke Ellington , and etc. The performance was well attended and staggeringly enjoyed by many prominent Indian people of the capital city, and by the senior & young diplomatic fraternity based in Delhi including that of the Russian Embassy. The Group also presented a very popular Hindi Bollywood Song "Goron ki na Kalon ki, Ye Duniya hai Dilwalon ki" means "This world belongs neither to whites, nor to blacks, but to the people having lovely hearts" specially for Indian audience, but it was highly lauded by one and all. As this was the first cultural performance of the year 2012 at RCSC, while greeting the artists with a basket of flowers, the Director of RCSC Mr. Fyodor A. Rozovskiy dedicated this performance to the forthcoming Festival of Russia in India, which will be celebrated later this year.