Prof Bashabi Fraser: May I now invite the Consul General of India, Mr. Siddhart Malik, who is new to the city but has already started getting to know all of us in Scotland. Welcome, sir.
Shri Siddharth Malik: Thank you so much, Deputy Lord Provost Ms. Cameron, distinguished guests, and friends. It’s a great privilege to address all of you at the Teor Get Festival at the Tom Fleming Center. I extend my heartfelt appreciation to Ms. Bashabi Fraser, the Scottish Centre of Togo Studies, and Creative Scotland for organizing this event. The theme for the event is “Forests are Our Future: By Leaves We Live.” I think this theme resonates deeply with the global challenges that we are facing in preserving our environment, safeguarding our future, and living in harmony with nature. It is a phrase that connects us to the shared legacies of Rabindranath Tagore and Sir Patrick Geddes.
Though the two men were from different parts of the world, they found common ground in their shared vision for a world that values sustainability and the intrinsic connection between nature and humanity. It is through such festivals that we are reminded of the global relevance of their ideas and the timelessness of their work. Rabindranath Tagore, one of India’s greatest poets and thinkers, believed in the inseparable bond between humans and nature.
His vision of education at Shantiniketan was one where students lived and learned in open spaces, surrounded by trees and the sounds of nature. Through his essays like “Tapoban” and “Religion of the Forest,” he emphasized that in understanding and nurturing the environment, we nurture our souls. In “Tapoban,” which means “Forest of Purity,” he says, and I quote, “Indian civilization has been distinctive in locating its sources of regeneration, material and intellectual, in the forest and not in the city. India’s best ideas have come where man was in communion with trees, rivers, and lakes, away from the crowds.”
Similarly, Sir Patrick Geddes, a Scottish ecologist and pioneering town planner, was an advocate for the symbiotic relationship between human life and nature. His famous phrase, “By leaves we live,” expresses his belief in the vitality of green spaces for our collective future. His holistic approach to urban planning, integrating natural landscapes with human settlements, was revolutionary for his time and serves as a critical model in our environmental conversation on sustainable development. Together, Tagore and Geddes advocated for a world where humanity and nature coexist in harmony—a vision that feels urgent as we grapple with issues such as climate change, deforestation, and environmental degradation.
Today, we are going to witness dance and drama, “Palash: Flame of the Forest,” and tomorrow, India’s exemplary filmmaker Satyajit Ray’s “Days and Nights in the Forest.” These will also explore themes that are deeply connected to these philosophies. I must also tell you that Scotland and India have long shared intellectual and cultural ties, and this festival is a reminder of the rich history of collaboration between our two nations. From Tagore’s admiration for Scotland’s natural beauty to Geddes’s transformative work in India, our countries have long exchanged ideas in art, education, urban development, and the environment, highlighting the wisdom of these two visionaries.
May this festival serve as a platform to further deepen our understanding of how we can build a sustainable future together. Once again, I want to thank the Tom Fleming Center, the Scottish Centre of Togo Studies, and the University of Edinburgh for organizing this important event.
Lastly, I would also request all of you, as Ms. Bashabi has already said, to donate generously in order to install the statue of Rabindranath Tagore in Edinburgh in his memory. Thank you so much.
Thank you very much, Mr. Malik. I think you are going to continue strengthening the ties between Scotland and India that are historic. That was marvelous. Thank you very much for being with us.