Pushkin's anniversary marked

By A Staff Reporter, Kathmandu, June 8: A poetic evening was held to mark the 227th birth anniversary of the world-renowned Russian poet, playwright, and novelist Alexander Pushkin in the capital.

June 6 is Pushkin's birth anniversary, which is observed as the Russian Language Day as well.

Introducing Pushkin and discussing the Russian language, Russian language teacher Sushil Sigdel highlighted the distinctive features of the language, interesting facts about its usage, and its global significance. 

"Knowledge of the Russian language is important even for those involved in space travel," he noted.

Welcoming the guests, General Secretary of the Society Ram Bindu Shrestha remarked that literature connects people across different countries, geographies, and cultures. "That is why we have come to know Pushkin," he said.

The programme was further enriched by a goodwill message sent from Moscow by members of the Russian Writers' Union.

The main session featured a poetry recital in which participants read Pushkin’s poems as well as their own original works in Russian and Nepali. Among those reciting in Russian were Deputy Director Sakanush Vanyan, Russian language teacher Sayara Shah, and Renchen Rakshayev, Deputy Chief of Mission at the Russian Embassy. Sushil Sigdel, Amod Mani Dixit, and Kiran Darnal recited poems in both Russian and Nepali. Nepali poets, including Bimala Tumkhewa, Laxmi Thapa, Keshav Raj Bista, Radhika Guragain, Rashmi Rimal, Chetan Basnet Thulaghare, and Krishna Poudel, presented their poems in Nepali.

Chief Guest Dr. Sushil Bahadur Bajracharya, Vice-Chancellor of Tribhuvan University, spoke about the importance of language and literature and recalled reading Pushkin’s works during his student days.

Another highlight of the programme was the launch of the memoir Khushika Palharu (Moments of Happiness), written by Chandra Kanta Acharya.

In his closing remarks, Chairperson Bishnu B. Singh expressed gratitude to the Russian Cultural Centre for its support and thanked all participants for their contributions.