It is indeed a matter of pleasure for me to be here and to have the opportunity to pay my respectful tributes to the memory of one of the greatest creative geniuses of the last century, Mr. Svetoslav Roerich. He had combined in himself the artistic creativity of a very high calibre, of a talented painter and of an unusual quest for the spiritual fulfillment and enlightenment. Though he was born in Russia, he died an Indian. He felt at home equally in India as in Russia. When the Russian Federation is honouring him, through a function like this, it is paying its tributes to one of its greatest sons, as also to the time-tested Indo-Russian Friendship.

If Indo-Russian relationship occupies a place of pride in the world today, the credit for it goes as much to our respective country’s leadership as to several well-meaning and committed individuals like the Roerichs. Our relationship is not something confined to the realms of the Government or the particular parties in power. It is between two peoples and is reinforced by certain shared values and ideals.

Svetoslav Roerich’s father, Nicholas Roerich, whom the famous Dostoyevsky had described as the 'consciousness of beauty' was a highly accomplished artist, philosopher, scientist and a great humanist. His mother was also on a high intellectual pursuit. Her writings on Orientalism and Indology are very valuable additions to the subjects. It was these high artistic and intellectual skills that Svetoslav Roerich inherited. His works fully reflected the culture, art and philosophy of India and, in many ways, the enduring human values.

Roerichs were indeed, deeply in love with India, particularly with the Himalayas and its Valley. They knew India and her cultural ethos as much as they knew of their homeland, Russia. The Kullu Valley has been their home for several decades. In the case of Svetoslav Roerich, that love went much beyond aesthetics – it took a deeper personal turn when he found his life’s partner in Devika Rani, another extremely gifted individual. My home State of West Bengal has a special reason to be proud of them both – Devika Rani was the grandniece of one of the most distinguished Indians, Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore.

Friends, when an artist shifts base, it is not just the person who moves, but he carries with him the richness of the culture he represents, and his work from the new place is bound to reflect the synthesis of the cultures he gets to be exposed to. It is difficult to separate a creative artist from the culture of his surroundings. They merge with it and identify themselves with it. This is what happened with the Roerichs. Once in India, they identified themselves totally with the culture of India and with its people. They did not stop with it – through their life’s work, they enriched our art and culture substantially. Oriental studies, particularly Indology, would have been much poorer but for their deep interest in it and committed endeavours to understand and enrich them. The Centres of art and research established by them in different parts of the country, stand as a testimony to their love for this country, its culture and its eternal values.

Friends, art and culture are beyond the boundaries that human beings erect. This is the message we need to imbibe from the life of the Roerichs. It is not given to all artists to be loved in so many lands. But in the case of the Roerichs, wherever they went they earned a place for them in the hearts of the people. Through their work of art and literary creations, they had actually touched the sensibilities of the people everywhere. In Svetoslav Roerich’s message, 'Every day do something better than you did yesterday. .... There can be no better resolve than to follow the path of self-perfection and self-development....', lies the secret for excellence and perfection in life. It was this pursuit of perfection that made him one of the greatest artists of his time.

In his call to the people everywhere to strive for 'beautifying their lives' carrying the 'message of beauty into every heart and every home', the sum and substance of the life he lived making the lands he belonged, is reflected. It is, therefore, a fitting tribute to the memory of this great human being, an integrator of cultures, that we are opening this Museum and Arts Club, in New Delhi, this evening.

I am grateful to the Russian Federation and its Cultural Centre here for giving me this opportunity to be associated with this function today.

Thank you.