A delegation of officers of Government of Himachal Pradesh led by S. Roy, Chief Secretary held discussions with representatives of the International Center of the Roerichs (ICR) and the International Roerich Memorial Trust (MMTR) at Moscow last evening over creation of the Roerich Memorial Museum Complex and the revival of the activities of the Urusvati Himalayan Research Institute in the Nicholas Roerich Estate in Naggar of district Kullu.
Manisha Nanda, Principal Secretary of the Government of Himachal Pradesh, General Secretary of the IRMT, and Rakesh Kanwar, Director of the Department of the language, art and culture also participated in the discussions from Indian side and Professor A.V. Postnikov, President of the ICR, Honored Worker of Sciences in Russian Federation; L.V. Shaposhnikova, Vice-President of the ICR, Director General of the Museum named after Nicholas Roerich, Honored Worker of Arts in Russian Federation, and A.V. Stetsenko, First Deputy Director General of the Museum were present from Russian side.
An Agreement between the ICR and the IRMT was signed wherein representative of both countries agreed to create the Memorial Museum Complex and to revive the activities of the Urusvati Himalayan Research Institute (created by the Roerichs in 1928 and discontinued at the beginning of the Second World war) on the basis of the Roerichs Estate in Naggar (India) by joint effort, using the ICR experience in preservation and popularizing of the Heritage of the Roerichs, and engaging Indian specialists.
The ICR undertook obligations to develop a Concept plan of the development of the IRMT at its own expense. In its turn, the Indian party undertook the obligation to present all the necessary facilities for the effective work of the ICR experts at the IRMT for the performing of this task. In future the Parties agreed on joint realization of this Concept plan of the development of the IRMT.
One of the most important articles of the signed Agreement is the article on the status and the authorities of the Russian curator at the IRMT. In the Agreement, signed on October 2nd, 2012 the Parties finalized the nomination procedure, status, rights and responsibilities of the Russian curator. The present agreement defines not only the responsibilities of the Parties aimed at providing help in work of the Russian curator at the IRMT, but also increases his/her responsibilities for the taken obligations. In future it will allow to avoid tension caused by the activities of Mrs. A. Adamkova, previous Russian curator of the IRMT.
The implementation of the plans outlined by the ICR and IRMT will strengthen the cultural relations between Russia and India. They also visited the Museum named after Nicholas Roerich in Russia and evinced keen interest in the exhibitions.
