A top Canadian university will soon have a full-fledged India Chair to promote understanding and cooperation between the public and private institutions between the two countries, even as 2011 has been designated as ”The Year of India” in Canada.
The year would be launched with the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Indian government and the Canada”s Carleton University in Ottawa on January 24 for setting up the India Chair at its Canada-India Centre of Excellence in Science, Technology, Trade and Policy.
SM Gavai, the High Commissioner of India in Canada will sign the MoU on behalf of the Government of India and Mme. Gisele Samson-Verreault, Chair, Board of Governors; Carleton University will sign the MoU on behalf of the University.
The Chair will be the forum to discuss and promote understanding and cooperation between the public and private institutions between India and Canada, Canada-India Centre of Excellence in Science, Technology, Trade and Policy was set up in February last year at the Carleton University which will now also become the first Canadian university to have a full-fledged India Chair.
The 2011 Regional PBD will be held in Toronto on June 9 and 10th. Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce is the nodal agency for the event.
The theme is Building Bridges: Positioning Strategy of the Indian Diaspora.
Indian Diaspora members in Canada, USA, Mexico and the Caribbean countries are expected to attend the PBD Canada 2011 convention in large numbers.
For the first time, the 12th edition of the IIFA awards will take place in Toronto later this year, which has become the first North American city to host the glittering ceremony, popularly known as the Oscars of Bollywood.
The International Indian Film Academy Awards (IIFA) takes place in a different world city each year.
The ceremony caps off a four-day festival that traditionally features a film festival and industry forum.
Bollywood mega star Amitabh Bachchan is the IIFA brand ambassador.
Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty in a statement said he was “thrilled” with the decision of the IIFA.
A number of positive developments point to an upward trajectory in this bilateral relationship. A sustained engagement of Canada with India is evident from the number of agreements and MOUs already signed between two countries such as Civilian nuclear cooperation agreement; higher education; earth sciences and mining and cultural cooperation. (MORE) PTI CORR