October, 1st , 2015 Cultural Session of All India Poetess Conference took place in conference-hall of “Park Inn by Radisson Pribaltiyskaya” hotel, St.Petersburg, Russia.

All India Poetess Conference (AIPC) is the largest literary and cultural Association of prominent women of India, including doctors of Philology and medicine, poetesses, recognized writers and cultural figures from various States of India who are highly interested in Russian literature and culture.

All India Poetess Conference (AIPC) advocates the education of women through literary and cultural programs. The members of this organization advocate for world peace through linguistic cooperation (language harmony) and tourist programs of travelling around the world.

Forty delegates of goodwill of All India Poetess Conference (AIPC) were on a visit in Russia from September, 27 to October, 2, 2015. October, 1, 2015 in St. Petersburg, in the conference hall of hotel "Park Inn by Radisson Pribaltiyskaya" a cultural event of AIPC was celebrated.

Honorary guests of the cultural delegation of the All India Poetess Conference (AIPC) were the Consul General of the Republic of India in St. Petersburg Mr. Arun Kumar Sharma, his wife Mrs. Poonam Sharma, Chairman of the St. Petersburg Branch of the International Centre of the Roerichs Mr. Eduard A.Tomsha and his Deputy Mrs. Elena Tomsha.

A solemn event with greetings to the Conference was opened by Dr. Saraswati, and the participants of the Conference sang the AIPC hymn. In their welcome speeches the members of the All India Poetess Conference said that the unity in diversity unites poetesses in India. Being creative AIPC every year carries out various cultural activities and competitions. Communication within the Association is an example of the erosion of the barriers between castes. "Every woman is a poetess, by tears, and by heart she unites and gives the harmony of life, expresses the unity of life in all the variety of nationalities of her country".

In the speeches the participants of the Conference noted that the idea of uniting women and the establishment of the All India Poetess Conference (AIPC) is owned by Dr. Lari Azad. "With great energy, he inspires women to creative work. The main purpose is to awaken faith in every woman. We are one family".

In his speech, Dr. Lari Azad introduced the honored guests with the Conference participants, who represented different States of India "from North to South and from West to East". Dr. Lari Azad noted that "languages, like rivers flow into one big river. The name of this river is Harmony". He said that his favorite book is "War and peace" by Leo Tolstoy, which he read in different languages. His knowledge of F. Dostoevsky, A. Pushkin, A. Chekhov, A. Solzhenitsyn and many other poets and writers of Russia helps to better understand the culture and history of Russia.

In India the movement of All India Poetess Conference (AIPC) is very popular. Several times a year there occur trips abroad, and they are dedicated to the cause of friendship and peace. Within 15 years of AIPC members of this organization visited 55 countries around the world. This year it is Russia – Moscow and St. Petersburg. Conferences Held in different countries give you the opportunity to become acquainted with the culture of these countries and to show the culture of your country. This is one of the best means of understanding other peoples and it contributes to the formation of friendly relations and harmony between countries.

During the meeting there was a presentation of a book devoted to AIPC. Delegates of the Association introduced presentations of their books of poems in Hindi (the second official language of India, spoken by more than half of the population of the country). Some of these editions became winners of national competitions in India. In a friendly and cordial atmosphere, the delegates read their poems, showed classical and folk dances representing the diversity of the great Indian culture of different States of multinational India.

In the framework of the cultural event there were the awards for individual categories and the presentation of Diplomas to the participants of the cultural delegation of the All India Poetess Conference (AIPC).

Honorable guests were awarded with books of poems by Indian poetess and a variety of handmade gifts in the style of national traditions of India. Members of the cultural delegation of good will said that Moscow is a beautiful city, and St. Petersburg is even more beautiful and it is rightly called the cultural capital of Russia.

In conclusion of the solemn event the Consul General of the Republic of India in St. Petersburg Mr. Aran Kumar Sharma made a speech. He thanked Dr. Lari Azad and all the delegates for a cultural program, noted the importance of the visit to Russia, to St. Petersburg of the cultural goodwill delegation of the All India Poetess Conference (AIPC) and expressed support for future programs that will strengthen the bridge of friendship and culture between India and Russia.

The Chairman of the St. Petersburg Branch of the International Centre of the Roerichs Mr. Eduard A.Tomsha thanked Dr. Lari Azad for the invitation to the gala event of All India Conference of Poetess (AIPC). He noted the importance of such cultural meetings, which illustrate various cultural traditions of multinational India, expressed in poetry, dances and traditional female costumes, which delegates of AIPC wore. Eduard A. Tomsha said that the multinational cultures of India and Russia have a lot in common, and the peoples of our countries have always lived in friendship and harmony. He drew the attention of the participants to the fact that in Russia such prominent figures of India as Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Rabindranath Tagore, Swami Vivekananda and others are well-known. And in India, Nicholas Roerich, a Russian artist, and his outstanding family, who were born in St. Petersburg are also well-known. Artistic creativity and scientific work of the Roerich family in India laid the foundation of the cultural bridge between our countries. Eduard Tomsha also noted that the present Cultural Session has become one more link in the strengthening of cultural cooperation and friendly contacts for the future development of relations between India and Russia.

Deputy Chairman and head of the research department of the St. Petersburg Branch of the ICR Elena Yu. Tomsha cordially greeted the participants of the Cultural Session and expressed sincere admiration of the external and the internal, spiritual beauty of the women of India. Elena Tomsha spoke of the friendship bridge, linking India and Russia. A huge contribution to the creation of this cultural relationship was made by Nicholas Roerich – a famous Russian artist, scientist, traveler, public figure, who lived many years in India. In conclusion of her speech, E.Tomsha read in English the poem of Nicholas Roerich "Drops".

In conclusion of the Cultural Session, Dr. Lari Azad thanked all the delegates, guests of honor who participated in the ceremony and expressed the hope, that there are many cultural projects that will take place in St. Petersburg with the support of the Consulate General of India, with the participation of the St. Petersburg Branch of the International Centre of the Roerichs.