Last Wednesday (April 10), Dr. Ranjit Gupta, an Indian envoy stationed in Taiwan, was invited by College of International Studies to give a lecture. Earlier on, at 11 AM, Dr. Clement C.P. Chang, Founder of TKU, met with him, and personally expressed his wishes to exchange academically with some of India’s leading universities, and gladly Dr. Gupta gave his heartfelt gratitude.

The speech event was presided over by Prof. Lin Juo-yu, Director, Graduate Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. Almost all the directors, faculties and students from the graduate institutes led by Dr. Wei Wou, Dean, College of International Studies had attended the event.

The speech was focused upon the aftermath confronting Asian nations after the 9/11 terrorist attack on the U.S. Dr. Gupta exchanged many interesting views with TKU faculties as well as students---some are undergraduates.

Speaking figuratively of the cultural differences between the 2 countries, Dr. Ranjit Gupta compared the evolution of Indian culture to an elephant, which was slow and steady whereas the development of Chinese culture was by leaps and bounds, just like a flying dragon or a jumping tiger. Asked about the recent belligerency between Pakistan and India by Dr. Chiu chui-liang of the Graduate Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, Dr. Gupta replied that the conflict has its historical background---it has come a long way and he sees no solution in the near future. Prof. Chen I-hsin asked his point of view toward nuclear weapons, Dr. Gupta indicated that personally, he is not in favor of them, but it should be a thing decided upon by the country’s political leaders, not just by the people only. As for the international Western-oriented phenomenon, Gupta said that his country has always tried to maintain Indian people’s native apparel as well as the eating habit. So, likewise, a country like Taiwan should also preserve its’ own people’s traditional customs.

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