Prime Minister Modi’s Historic Visit to Austria: Radha Anjali’s Excitement
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Austria has been eagerly anticipated by the Indian community. Radha Anjali, a classical Bharatanatyam dancer and President of the Austro-India Association, expressed her enthusiasm for the visit, highlighting its significance in strengthening relations and friendship between India and Austria.
Radha Anjali, who has been practicing Bharatanatyam for the last 40 years in Vienna, described the dance form as a ‘cultural connect’ between the two nations. She said, ‘It’s a cultural connect between India and Austria. Yes, the cultural link between countries is very important. And Bharatanatyam can also build a bridge between the two countries.’
Regarding PM Modi’s visit, she added, ‘We are very excited and I think it is very good and very important for the relations between the two countries and to build up the friendship more, which has been there in the past but maybe we can build up more friendship for the future.’
Anjali highlighted the Austro-India Association’s six-decade efforts to foster cultural exchange and friendship between the two countries. ‘The Austro-Indian Association, for 60 years, has been working for friendship between the two countries on different levels. And we just recently had our 60th anniversary. I’ve been president since 2008. The work we are doing is to promote Indian culture in Austria with dance performances, concerts, lectures, and information about India,’ she said.
She also shared her experience of performing in India with her group, stating, ‘When we go to India as Austrians and because I perform there also with my dance group. So it’s also something what we can present in India from Austria.’
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on a two-nation visit. On Monday, he arrived in Moscow, Russia, where he was invited by President Vladimir Putin to attend the 22nd India-Russia Annual Summit. Following his engagements in Russia, Prime Minister Modi will proceed to Austria on July 9-10. This visit marks a historic occasion, as it will be the first time an Indian Prime Minister has visited Austria in 41 years.
