On April 3, 2019, an event was held at the Department of International Relations of the Institute of Oriental Studies dedicated to the 230th anniversary of the first journal published in Madras, “Azdarar”, in the Armenian reality. Representatives of the scientific community and the diplomatic sphere, including the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of India to the Republic of Armenia N.G. Nilakshi Saha Sinha and the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Armenia to India N.G. Vahagn Afyan (online), participated in the event. The event is part of the work carried out in the direction of scientific diplomacy, which is pursued by the Institute of Oriental Studies. The speakers highlighted the importance of the cultural heritage created by the Armenian community of Madras, including “Azdarar”, in the formation of Armenian journalism, socio-political thought and national self-consciousness, which is also a key factor in the development of Armenia-India relations. In his opening speech, the Head of the Department of International Relations of the Institute, Araks Pashayan, thanked the Ambassadors of the Republic of Armenia to India and India to Armenia for supporting Armenia-India scientific cooperation. Director of the Institute of Oriental Studies Gohar Iskandaryan touched upon the issues of deepening cooperation with the Institute of Oriental Studies and the Centers for Security and Strategic Research of India. N.G. Nilakshi Saha Sinha and N.G. Vafagn Afyan highlighted the further deepening of Armenia-India relations and the cultural and political significance of the heritage created by the Indian-Armenian community in developing bilateral cooperation. The main speaker of the meeting was the Armenian periodical press specialist, PhD Albert Kharatyan, who presented interesting facts related to the Madras Armenian community, priest Harutyun Shmavonyan and the creation of “Azdarar”. Ashkhen Khachatryan, a researcher of the Indian-Armenian community living in India and residing in Chennai (Madras), joined the event via video message and touched upon “Azdarar” in the context of the historical transformations of the Madras Armenian community. Ambassador R. Karapetyan touched upon the priority of the Asian direction of Armenia’s foreign policy and the issue of research on India. During the meeting, a film and digital materials about “Azdarar” created with AI tools were shown, which were prepared by the efforts of Knarik Sargsyan, Senior Assistant of the International Relations Department, and Garnik Sahakyan, PhD student in the direction of India.

The event had scientific and political significance from the perspective of Armenia-India cooperation. It is important when bilateral relations are anchored not only by strong civilizational ties but also by memorable facts of the historical significance of cooperation. The contribution of the Persian-Armenian community to the formation of a new life and a new culture in India, which is one of the pages of the Golden Age of the Armenian people, is also interesting. From this perspective, the heritage created by the Madras Armenian community, and the Indian-Armenian community in general, including “Azdarar”, which is also a political resource in terms of deepening relations with a friendly state. The meeting also discussed the need to strengthen Armenian-Indian scientific ties, mutual visits, exchanges of professional literature and joint scientific events, and the issue of preserving Armenian cultural heritage in India. The meeting took place in a warm and constructive atmosphere.