New Delhi, February 21 The Indian Embassy in Azerbaijan has launched 'Baku Evenings', a new cultural series aimed at promoting the country's culture, education, arts, and heritage through engaging community events in Azerbaijan.
The inaugural edition, held on February 20, celebrated the Sanskrit and Hindi languages in an effort to strengthen people-to-people ties between the two countries, an embassy official said.
The event featured several guests, including Dhruv Trivedi, a lecturer in Sanskrit and Hindi at the Azerbaijan University of Languages, along with some of his students.
'Baku Evenings' seeks to foster meaningful cultural exchange and strengthen people-to-people ties between India and Azerbaijan, the official said.
The gathering focused on celebrating India's ancient and living language, Sanskrit, and the older language Hindi.
Diplomat Abhay Kumar, also a writer, artist, and language enthusiast, engaged with the students, who shared their passion through recitations of timeless Sanskrit shlokas.
The two sides also had lively conversations in Hindi and insightful discussions on Indian culture and literature.
"Participants highlighted the profound wisdom embedded in Sanskrit texts and the expressive vibrancy of modern Hindi, underscoring the growing interest in Indian languages among Azerbaijani youth," the embassy said in a statement.
The session also saw participation from members of the Indian diaspora, including students and a group of social media influencers from Azerbaijan, the official said.
The evening concluded on a warm note with a recitation from Rabindranath Tagore's "Gitanjali", followed by an authentic spread of Indian delicacies, allowing attendees to experience a taste of India's rich culinary heritage alongside its linguistic traditions.
Kumar said that such events bring alive the shared values and cultural affinities between the two nations. "We are inspired by the dedication of the young Azerbaijani students, and look forward to many more such enriching interactions," he said.