Forum: India-China Cultural and People-to-people exchange

The Great poets of India & China “Mahakavi Bharatiyaar and XuFancheng”

JUNE 1ST 2022

Concept note :

Subramania Bharathiyar (11 December 1882 – 11 September 1921) was a Tamil writer, poet, journalist, Indian independence activist, social reformer, and polyglot, he was a pioneer of modern Tamil poetry and is considered one of the greatest Tamil literary figures of all time. Mahakavi Bharathiyar lived at Pondicherry from 1908 to 1917.

Prof. Xu Fancheng (1909 – 2000) was a Chinese translator and poet who studied and translated ancient Indian texts, including Kalidasa’s Meghdootam. He lived in Pondicherry, for 27 years (1951 -78) and made significant contributions to the study and understanding of Indian philosophy and culture in China. During his time in Pondicherry, Xu Fancheng was influenced by the works of Sri Aurobindo and later translated the Complete Works of Sri Aurobindo into Chinese.

Both Mahakavi Bharathiyar and Prof. XuFancheng were polyglots and poets. Understanding the significance of these two writers in promoting Indian culture, a drama on both of these scholars is curated by the team and presented in front of the Chinese Ambassador to India Sun Weidong, Madam Ambassador Diana Bao, and Cultural Counselor Zhang Jianxin.

Keynote Speech by Chinese Ambassador to India Sun Weidong.

Keynote Speech – Director -China people’s association for friendship with foreign countries.(virtual)

After the keynote speech, guests from India-China friendship organizations in India gave their speeches. Which was followed by the Drama on Mahakavi Bharatiyaar and XuFancheng.