The Hellenic Institute of Byzantine and Post Byzantine Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, and Aristotle University of Thessaloniki are pleased to announce the jointly organized conference under the title “The Greek World and India: History, Culture and Trade from the Hellenistic period to Modern Times (4th c. BCE – 18th c. CE)”.
As India and Greece move into the 21st century with confidence, the former as one of the leading powers of our world and the latter as a stable society and state in SE Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean with a long history, and while global developments present new challenges for the world’s nations, highlighting common civilizational elements and common courses in history can be helpful in shaping a mutual understanding and perception for the future.
Greece and India are bearers of two of the greatest civilizations in history, which came into close contact over the centuries, having extensively and for a long time interacted with each other, on various occasions. Besides that, the two countries, albeit different in matters of size, also share healthy democratic institutions and vibrant societies, respectful towards other cultures.
It is with these common elements in mind that the Hellenic Institute of Byzantine and Post Byzantine Studies, based in Venice, Jawaharlal Nehru University, based in New Delhi and Aristotle University, based in Thessaloniki, are announcing the conduct of an International Conference under the auspices of the Hellenic Ministry of Foreign Affairs and under the general title: “The Greek World and India: History, Culture and Trade from the Hellenistic period to Modern Times (4th c. BCE – 18th c. CE).”
The aim of the Conference is to bring to the forefront the most recent research on the interaction, communication and influences between the Greek World and India from the period when these were at their peak, following Alexander’s the Great quest into Asia, until Modern Times. It is a firm belief of the organizers that exploring past aspects of 2000 years-long history of Indo-Hellenic contacts could open new ways of promoting and enhancing current relations between the two nations. Within this context, the Conference will aim at focusing particularly on the following areas of research, by means of distinct panels consisting of specialized scholars and researchers:
1. History and Contacts
2. Numismatics
3. Art and Archaeology
4. Science and Philosophy
5. Commerce and Economy
6. Geography
7. Hellenistic Period in India – The Greek Kings of India
8. Greeks in Indian Literature
9. Indians in Greek Literature (Ancient, Byzantine and post-Byzantine).
The Organizing Committee of the conference
Professor Vasileios Koukousas President of Hellenic Institute of Byzantine and Post Byzantine Studies, Venice
Emeritus Professor Udai Prakash Arora, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi
Professor Christos Arampatzis, Aristotle Uiversity of Thessaloniki
Professor Osmund Bopearachchi, Emeritus Director of Research of the French National Centre for Scientific Research (C.N.R.S.-E.N.S. Paris)
Assistant Professor Anil Kumar Singh, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi
Filippo Ronconi, Maître de conférences de l’EHESS, Sorbonne-Paris
Assistant Professor Stefanos Kordosis, International Hellenic University, Thessaloniki
Professor Frank Lee Holt, University of Houston
