A significant highlight of this Conference may be the digital exhibition of a unique byzantine manuscript; with a large number of miniatures which depict the life span of Alexander the Great. The particular manuscript is a rare “gem” from the collection of the Hellenic Institute of Byzantine plus Post Byzantine Studies. Its “digital journey” to Indian bears testimony to the attempts undertaken by our nations to honor and further explore their cultural bonds. We also feel very honored that there is a Seat of Greek Studies at the JNU (Jawaharlal Nehru University). The latter will be reinforced using a Visiting Professor from Portugal in the start of this educational Semester. Our countries have a long history of contacts, beginning in the era of Alexander the Great. Greek-Indian contacts made up the fields of artwork, letters and science. Industrial bonds, mainly through ocean going routes, leaded to the formation of vibrant Greek neighborhoods in Bengal. And especially within Calcutta, where the famous Greek Indologist Dimitrios Galanos lived. Today’s Conference is quite a unique occasion. The particular millennial history of Indo-Hellenic contacts provides a solid basis just for strengthening our relations in the cultural field; which is even more important since Greece and India represent two from the greatest civilizations in history.
