SEOUL: SPIC MACAY, the Society for the Promotion of Indian Classical Music And Culture Amongst Youth launched its fourth Asian chapter in Korea on Sunday.
After having revived its Australian chapter and set up chapters in Singapore, and Japan, the SPIC MACAY – a non-political, global, voluntary movement founded by ‘Padma Shri-awardee Dr. Kiran Seth, has made its presence felt in South Korea to promote rich Indian art, culture, and heritage there amongst Indians as well as Koreans.
On February 7, the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre, Embassy of India in Seoul, and Indian Students and Researchers in Korea (ISRK) jointly launched the SPIC MACAY Korea Chapter in the virtual mode in the presence of Sripriya Ranganathan, Indian Ambassador to ROK, Hwang Il-yong, Director, Korean Cultural Centre in India (KCCI), Mukul Basu, President- UNESCO & Universal Culture Center (Korea), and Dr. Kiran Seth, Founder, SPIC MACAY and Professor-Emeritus at IIT-Delhi as well as representatives from ISRK.
The Indian students and Researchers in Korea (ISRK) led by president Lailesh Kumar and vice president Iqbal Khazi, is a voluntary support group for all students and researchers of Indian origin in Korea for providing educational, research, social, recreational, job, and community support to them.
The launch event also witnessed a dance performance by Beena Keum and Sukhee Oh, the professional Odissi and Kathak dancers respectively, who also interacted with the audience, and shared their journey and experience, and love for rich Indian heritage.
In her address, Sripriya Ranganathan, Ambassador, Embassy of India in the Republic of Korea, Seoul said, “I am happy to know that the SPIC MACAY is going to bring the wealth of information and culture also to the people of Korea and give them the glimpses of what India is all about. At the embassy here at Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre, we have tried to give as much of an experience of Indian culture in various art forms not only on Indian classical music and dance which are the mainstay of our efforts but also the more modern manifestation of that culture. Now we have a well-established partner as SPIC MACAY in this endeavor.”
The Indian Ambassador in Korea looked forward to working closely with the KCCI also for promoting Indian culture.
“We hope to have an opportunity to working with the KCCI in all that we seek to do through the field and the mechanism of culture to bring the people of India and Korea closer together,” Sripriya Ranganathan added.
Tapasya, the Global Coordinating APEC who was instrumental in reviving the Australia chapter and setting up Japan, Singapore, and Korea chapters is also working for setting up the New Zealand chapter of SPIC MACAY.
While congratulating the organisers for launching the Korea chapter of SPIC MACAY, Hwang IL-yong, Director, Korean Cultural Centre in India (KCCI) said, “Korea and India have been friends for a long time and we have been connected through our long historical and cultural ties. Such initiatives can help to deepen our friendship the bilateral ties and Koran chapter of SPIC MACAY is at the center of bilateral cultural exchange.”
The KCCI director further said, “Through this kind of cultural exchange events and programs between the two countries I look forward to witnessing more Korean friends with Indian mindsets and vice versa.”
While offering all kinds of support in promoting the Indian rich art and cultural heritage in Korea to the SPIC MACAY, Dr. Sonu Trivedi, Director, Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre in Korea offered to collaborate with SPIC MACAY.
Dr. Trivedi who has been instrumental in organizing this launch event said the objective of both the organizations was common such as the promotion of India’s soft power.
Vibhu Jain, the brain behind ISRK said that it’s a matter of great joy as well as a privilege that SPIC MACAY has set up the Korea chapter.
“It would not only help the Indian nationals staying and working in Korea a great deal in unwinding themselves from the stressful professional lives but also introduce and promote Indian culture amongst Indian as well as our Korean friends in Korea.”
Great 👍