The Embassy of India, through H.E. Ambassador Jaideep Mazumdar, donated books to the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) as part of India’s Bharat-Ek-Parichay – Sharing Knowledge with the World Programme, a unique initiative launched in 2018 to establish ‘Bharat Ek Parichay’ corners in eminent educational institutions globally.

These corners are single point reference for information and knowledge about India—its art, culture, literature, religion, philosophy, economy, history and other features — through especially curated set of books from India.

In Ambassador’s Mazumdar opening remarks, he said that the 48 books that comprised the Bhgarat-Ek-Parichay collection were carefully chosen by the Ministry.  The books are mostly in the English language, with a few titles written in Hindi. 

The book donations were accepted by FSI Officer-in-Charge (Director-General) Celeste Vinzon-Balatbat. The books will be included in the collection of the Carlos P. Romulo Library.

OIC (Director-General) Celeste Vinzon-Balatbat, in her acceptance remarks, mentioned: “the Foreign Service Institute is honored to give these books a home at the Carlos P. Romulo Library. Through their collection of reference materials, libraries serve as sanctuaries of knowledge and information that shall help build bridges of understanding and fight disinformation and fake news.”

She welcomed the donated books as resources that shall contribute to a deeper understanding of India, particularly among researchers, guests and employees at the Office of Asia and Pacific Affairs and/or foreign service personnel bound for the Philippine Embassy in New Delhi. The turn-over was held at the Carlos P. Romulo Library on 13 February 2020. ASPAC Assistant Secretary Meynardo Montealegre together, with Division IV – South Asia Dir. Anna Marie Santos and Principal Assistant Jorge Philippe Arjona, and FSI employees witnessed the turn-over ceremony.