Books Released

Portraits of Courage in Indian and Russian Literature

The book entitled "Portraits of Courage in Indian and Russian Literature", co-authored by Leela Moulik, Bela Mazumdar, Aloka Chaterjee and Achala M. Moulik and dedicated to the creative works of Alexander Pushkin, Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, Rabindranah Tagore and Alexander Solzhenitsyn, was officially released at a special function organised by the Russian Centre of Science and Culture (RCSC) in New Delhi jointly with Authors Upfront on June 14 2019. A fairly large gathering comprising diplomats, academics, scholars and media persons attended the solemn literary event.

Earlier, Mr. Manish Purohit of Authors' Upfront introduced the author and speakers of the event.

At the outset, Ms. Achala Moulik traced the background of writing the book jointly by Leela Moulik and Bela Mazumdar, two sisters, who composed the monographs in Bengali on B.C. Chatterjee and R. Tagore, and their daughters, Aloka Chatterjee, who translated them into English, and herself wrote about Pushkin and Solzhenitsyn, They made it a point to bring out the book marking the birth anniversaries of the four great writers.

In his key-note address, Chief Guest Mr. Fedor Rozovskiy, Director, Russian Centre of Science and Culture in New Delhi, lauded the commendable efforts of Achala Moulik, a winner of the covetous Pushkin Medal and Sergei Yesenin Prize, and her family members in highlighting the magnificent works of Russian and Indian literary geniuses - Alexander Pushkin, Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, Rabindranath Tagore and Alexander Solzhenitsyn - who although are separated by different ages, different societies, different races and creeds, they are united by a universality of purpose, of protest against injustice and oppression. He added that in portraying the lives and works of the four authors, the four gifted women have brought to life the tumult of other times. Mr. Rozovskiy pinpointed the deep study and evaluation of the literary merit, personality, role in renaissance, heroism and patriotism of each and every of the four writers made by the authors. He wished the book gain popularity and readership alike her previous works.

Dr. Neeelakshi Suryanarayan, Head of the Slavonic and Finno-Ugrian Department, Delhi University, threw light on the in-depth analysis made by the authors of the book "Portraits of Courage in Indian and Russian Literature", particularly on Pushkin and Solzhenitsyn. Objective analysis on challenges, state of affairs, political and social scenario of the period of their writing, etc., have been brought to focus in an objective manner by authors, she noted.

Mr. Fedor Rozovskiy presented to Dr. Neeelakshi Suryanarayan with a Diploma from ROSSOTRUDNICHESTVO in appreciation to her overall contribution to the promotion of culture and education.

Dr. Debjani Sengupta, Professor of English, Indraprasta College, Delhi University, underlined the appreciable efforts of the authors in focussing on the literary merit of the book "Portraits of Courage in Indian and Russian Literature". She lauded the authors in presenting the four literary giants before the lovers of literature for many years to come.

Ms. Tatiana Perova, Head of the Russian Language Teachers' Training Centre, RCSC, touched upon Achala Moulik's significant contribution to the study of Russian writers as well as Indian writers bringing into focus the different facets of their lives and career worth emulating for wider readership.

Mr. S.V. Nair, Media Advisor, RCSC, in his brief observation, dwelt upon Ms. Achala Moulik's outstanding works with special emphasis on the salient features of her literary style with mass appeal and thought-provoking effect equipped with informative and educative values.