Abstract
THE CULTURAL RELATIONS OF TURKEY WITH INDEPENDENT INDIA AND THE TURKISH-INDIAN CULTURAL ASSOCIATION
India started putting emphasis on foreign publicity in 1950s and arranged a budget for such organizations after she became autonomous in 1947. Activities related to Indian culture were also exhibited in Turkey. The amity societies founded in Turkey have played a role in the social and cultural dimensions of the relations between the two countries. For instance, the Turkish-Indian Cultural Society, which became active in the last quarter of 1940’s, was the product of such a mission. Founded in the beginning of 1949 and centered in Ankara, the society opened a branch in Istanbul in the autumn of the same year. It published several booklets introducing India and her culture besides organizing dinners to meet the representatives and popular names of both lands. Furthermore, it organized exhibitions, performances, and conferences. Another society to continue a similar mission became operational with the same name at the end of 1950’s in Istanbul. Among its activities, there were primarily conferences next to reunions and several competition organizations. The significance of cultural collaboration unions comes to the forefront at the point where the relations of Turkey and India have not been able to achieve a rapid development in the second half of the 20th century. Although they could not accelerate the developmental pace of the relations, it can surely be claimed that they helped to keep it at a certain level. This study aims to contribute to the elucidation of the Turkish-Indian relations from the foundation of the independent India by means of social and cultural dimensions on the basis of Turkish Parliament's Parliamentary Minutes Journal, archival sources, periodicals, and research books.
Keywords
Fikret Narter, India, Turkey, Turkish-Indian Relations, Turkish-Indian Cultural Association.