Mr. Luis Garca Montero, Director General of the Instituto Cervantes visits India for the first time
New Delhi : Instituto Cervantes was founded in 1991 by the Government of Spain for promoting Spanish Language teaching and making the world more aware of Hispanic culture. For the first time, Mr. Luis Garca Montero, Director General of the Instituto Cervantes from Spain visited Delhi between 6th and 7th of July 2022.
Spanish has 460 million native speakers, it is the second language more spoken in terms of native speakers, and the third most used in a global number, after English and Chinese.
Over the last few years, Spanish has also become one of the most studied foreign languages for Indian students as well. This can be attributed to various factors including the greater economic and cultural openness between India and Spain, the positive and inclusive nature of Spain as a European, democratic and developed country. Additionally, Spain has grown as an attractive tourist destination, and a global epicentre for music, movies and television series in Spanish.
Speaking on the occasion of his visit to India, Mr. Luis Garcia Montero, The Director General of Instituto Cervantes said, “Spanish has become one of the favorite languages for Indian students. For various reasons: the greater economic and cultural openness of India, the greater relevance of Latin America, the growing importance of Spanish in India, the positive image of Spain as a European, democratic and developed country, and as an attractive tourist destination, and the music, movies and TV series in Spanish. In 2009 the Instituto Cervantes in New Delhi was inaugurated, since then there has been a growing demand for Spanish courses. The growing presence of Spanish in Indian private schools is clear, and now also in secondary schools, and according to some studies, it is beginning to displace French and German”.
Additionally, Mr.Montero, The Director General of Instituto Cervantes said “With the growing, in 2023, we will open an extension in Bangalore. Its technological, educational, economic and demographic potential makes it the ideal city. Our center in Bangalore will have 8 classrooms, and an exhibition space. “
During the visit, Mr Montero also met with Indian Hispanic community and expressed his gratitude towards them for creating a significant school of thought and influence to spread the legacy of Spanish language, culture and literature. In addition to this, he launched a copy of Don Quixote in Sanskrit. It is the great universal novel by Miguel de Cervantes, celebrated author and perhaps the most important figure in the history of Spanish literature.
There is much more to Don Quixote than merely a book. The book discusses idealism versus materialism, life and death.
The book has been translated by two Kashmiri pandit, Nityanand Shastri and Jagaddhar Zadoo. Shastri’s grandson, Surindar Nath Pandita and Dr. Karan Singh, ICND were present at the book launch event. The present book contains a modern Sanskrit translation of eight chapters from the First Part of the book.