UP, M’rashtra to promote cultural, educational ties
Exchange programmes will facilitate new opportunities of collaboration between artistes and students of both the states
The governments of Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra on Saturday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to strengthen the cultural and educational collaboration between the states through various exchange programmes.
The MoU, signed at a ceremony in Lok Bhawan, is aimed at implementing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Ek Bharat - Shreshtha Bharat’.
“Both the governments will work together to realise the PM’s dream. This MoU will enable many cultural exchange programmes between the two states,” said Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis while addressing the gathering.
Highlighting the strong bond between the two states, Fadnavis said that freedom fighter Tatya Tope was from Maharashtra and later moved to Kanpur. He also spoke on how the young generation was contributing in making the country’s future better.
Welcoming the MoU, UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath said, “Now, students and cultural groups from UP and Maharashtra may come and perform at each other’s state to help people learn about one another’s culture and heritage. The MoU will especially strengthen the ties between the students of the states regarding collaborative projects.”
Throwing light on how UP and Maharashtra have been connected since ancient times, governor Ram Naik, who hails from Maharashtra, said, “Lord Ram was born in Ayodhya but during his exile, he went to Panchvati in Nasik (Maharashtra). In another era, a priest from Varanasi travelled to Maharashtra for Chhatrapati Shivaji’s coronation after some local ruler refused to accept Shivaji as Chhatrapati.” Naik also recalled how a Marathi, Pt Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande, had established a music school in Lucknow.
In a lighter vein, Fadnavis also reminded the gathering that Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan hailed from UP. The governor and both the CMs also visited a photo exhibition based on the life of freedom fighter Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak.