A. A brief overview

Indo-Greek Cultural Relations date back to a period of almost three millennia. In 327 BC, the expedition of Alexander the Great brought the dawn of a new era of Indo-Hellenic cultural interaction which lasted long after Alexander's death with Mauryan Kings Chandragupta and Ashoka.

The Greek influence on Indian Art appeared in the minting of coins, the Graeco-Buddhist sculptures of Gandhara and Mathura and the introduction of the Zodiac symbols to Indian astrology.

In the 18th century, an interesting Greek commercial presence flourished in what is now West Bengal and Bangladesh. A considerable number of Greek traders, employees of the East India Company and intellectuals created vibrant communities in Calcutta, Dhaka and later Bombay.

Dimitrios Galanos (1760-1833) spent 47 years in India, studied Sanskrit in Benares and became the first European Indologist of world reputataion . His work encompasses translations into Greek of Indian texts as well as a Sanskrit - English - Greek dictionary.

After the Independence of India in 1947, the cultural relations of both countries were regulated by a bilateral Agreement as well as by two-year programmes of cultural exchanges.

During the same period, with the gradual spread of information about the vast richness of India's culture, many Greeks began visiting the country and a number of them established long-term links in the academic and business domain.

Among those who studied in India are former Cultural Counsellor Aliki Zannas, archeologist V. Sariyiannidis, psychologist Helen Abasiz, indologists M. Spyrou, Theodore Bitos, Mary Athanassopoulos, Apostolos Michailedes, Konstantine Tsioulos, Nick Marioris, Lida Sandala, Alexis Karsiotis, Demetrios Vassiliadis can be mentioned. Silhouette.

In the context of the overall Indo-Greek Cultural Cooperation, the Onassis Foundation has provided awards and scholarships to Indian Intellectuals among them namely Ms. Manjula Padmababhan, Ms. Lolita Nehru, Prof. U.P. Arora and Prof. Bharat Gupt.

Following the tradition of Megasthenes, three Greek diplomats, Dimitrios Velissaropoulos (1959-1963), Vassilis Vitsaxis (1973-1976) and George Sioris (1984-1989) contributed through their written works in greek, to a deepening and better understanding of India in Greece.

In May 1999 an Indo-Hellenic Friendship Association was established in New Delhi with the support of the Embassy of Greece. It comprises of a number of distinguished Indian friends of Greece and aims at a vibrant social and cultural activity.

B. Greek Studies in India

A Memorandum of Understanding signed in June 1999 between Greece and the Jawaharlal Nehru University (J.N.U), New Delhi, established a Chair of Greek Studies (Greek Civilization, Language, History and Philosophy at the School of Language, Literature and Cultural Studies of the J.N.U.). To honour the contribution to Indology of the noted Greek Indologist of modern times: Dimitris Galanos; this Chair bears his name.

Professor Yangos Andreadis was the first academic to occupy the Chair in October 2000. The present incumbent, Professor U.P. Arora holds the Chair since July 2006. Courses on Greek Language, Literature and Culture as well as Classical Greece and Comparative Civilization: Indian and Greek, are being offered at the JNU. A number of lectures and seminars are organized regularly under the aegis of the Greek Chair.

Professor Arora also heads the Indian Society for Greek and Roman Studies (ISGARS). Among the Society’s activities are seminars on ancient and modern Greek and the annual edition “Yavanika” on the interaction between the Hellenic and Indian civilizations.