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India is set to reinforce its commitment to global cultural cooperation as it prepares to participate in the upcoming BRICS Culture Ministers’ Meeting , scheduled for May 26, 2025 , in Brasília, Brazil . The Indian delegation will be led by Union Minister for Culture and Tourism, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat , who will represent New Delhi at this high-level multilateral gathering. Image Source: GSS on X The meeting comes at a strategically important time for India, which is actively deepening its diplomatic engagements through initiatives such as Operation Sindoor —a 33-capital outreach focusing on counterterror diplomacy—and recent bilateral cultural exchanges with nations including Germany , South Korea , and Congo . The BRICS forum—comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa —offers India a platform to shape global cultural narratives while advancing people-to-people ties. This year’s meeting will focus on strengthening multilateral cultural cooperation, enhancing instit...

The Indian Navy on Tuesday formally inducted the Ancient Stitched Ship as INSV Kaundinya at a ceremonial event held at Naval Base Karwar , reviving centuries-old shipbuilding techniques and reinforcing India’s maritime heritage. The induction was presided over by Union Minister of Culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat , who attended as Chief Guest. Image Source: PIB India The vessel, a full-scale stitched sail ship inspired by 5th-century CE Ajanta Cave paintings , represents a rare fusion of traditional craftsmanship and naval engineering. The project was conceived as a cultural and technological tribute to India’s ancient seafaring history and was undertaken through a tripartite agreement signed in July 2023 between the Ministry of Culture , the Indian Navy , and M/s Hodi Innovations , with funding provided by the Ministry. The key peg of the event was India’s effort to bridge historical maritime traditions with contemporary naval practice , embodied in the design and construction of...

Karwar, May 20 — The Indian Navy will formally induct the Ancient Stitched Ship , a recreation of a 5th century CE vessel inspired by a painting from the Ajanta Caves, during a ceremonial event on May 21, 2025, at Naval Base Karwar. The ceremony will be presided over by the Minister of Culture, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, who will serve as the Chief Guest. The stitched ship project was launched through a tripartite agreement signed in July 2023 between the Ministry of Culture, the Indian Navy, and Goa-based M/s Hodi Innovations, with funding from the Ministry of Culture. The vessel’s keel was laid on September 12, 2023, and it was launched in February 2025 at the Hodi Shipyard in Goa. The ship has been constructed entirely using traditional techniques by artisans from Kerala, led by master shipwright Shri Babu Sankaran. Thousands of joints were hand-stitched using coir and natural materials, with no use of metal fasteners — a practice rooted in ancient Indian shipbuilding traditions. ...