Across the Himalayan Gap

This book is the fruition of Step 1 of a project launched by the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) which is a premier Indian research institution dedicated to a holistic understanding of world civilization and to the promotion of information and insight between different cultures of the world. ‘Sino-Indian Studies" is a special window of IGNCA drawing inspiration from Gurudeva Rabindranath Tagore’s longing for reenacting the history of the "great pilgrimage" and path-opening"–"to maintain the [Sino-Indian]" "Intercourse of culture and friendship", in Tagore’s own words. The Academic Director of IGNCA, Dr Kapila Vatsyayan, blazed a new trail in 1990, leading scholars of India and China to "look at each other" instead of trying to see each other’s country through the Western Hemisphere. All the 40 Indian authors in this volume have contributed their mite to this endeavour– making it a book that parades the various Indian perspectives on China, on her civilization, history, society and present developments. While scrutinizing their writings, readers also get a glance over Indian savants’ observations and Indian leaders’ addresses at Chinese universities. The book also targets the Chinese readership with the aim of creating its companion volume of Chinese perspectives on India which is the Step II of the IGNCA project in promoting indepth understanding between the two most populous countries–close neighbours and partners of the 21 st century.