On the auspicious occasion of Buddha Purnima, the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), under the Ministry of Culture, unveiled a book titled 'Echoes of Enlightenment: IGNCA's Journey into Buddhism'.

During the launch distinguished guests including Shri Rambahadur Rai, President of IGNCA Trust; Sri Abhijit Halder, Director General of the International Buddhist Confederation; Prof. Sudhamahi Ragunathan, former Vice-Chancellor of Jain Vishwa Bharati University; Prof. Amarjiva Lochan, University of Delhi; and Prof. Ramesh C. Gaur, Dean (Administration) and HoD of Kala Nidhi Division were welcomed. Edited by Dr. Sachchidanand Joshi, Member Secretary of IGNCA, and Dr. Mayank Shekhar, the book sheds light on IGNCA's exploration of Buddhism.

In his speech, Shri Ram Bahadur Rai, President, IGNCA underscored the contemporary relevance of Lord Buddha's teachings, particularly emphasizing compassion and dialogue as crucial values needed globally.

The Chief Guest, Shri Abhijit Halder, stressed the imperative to bridge the contemporary knowledge gap in Buddhism, citing historical instance of how there was a vacuum in as far as knowledge base on Buddhism was covered. He emphasized Buddhism's timeless nature and its capacity to adapt to societal changes. He highlighted Buddhism's transformative impact and proposed future collaboration between the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC) and IGNCA.

Prof. Sudhamahi Ragunathan praised the global spread of Buddhism and commended the book for its significance beyond IGNCA.

Prof. Amarjiva Lochan emphasized the complementary relationship between Buddhism and Hinduism, urging an understanding from within, devoid of external influences. He touched on the issue of influence of Buddhism in other countries and the need to do more work towards highlighting Indian links abroad.

Dr. Mayank Shekhar provided an overview of the book's three sections, focusing on IGNCA, Buddha and Buddhism, and IGNCA's initiatives in studying Buddhism. The event was moderated by Mr. Gopal from the Kala Nidhi Division.

Prof. Gaur concluded the event, expressing gratitude to the attendees.