UK-India year of culture launch

Academics from the Cardiff University’s School of History, Archaeology and Religion and the Welsh School of Architecture have attended the official launch of the UK-India Year of Culture.

Celebrating the best of British and Indian culture, guests from the worlds of sport, fashion, show-business, the arts and academia joined HM The Queen, Prince Phillip and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at the launch.

A celebration of the long-standing relationship between the UK and India, the UK-India Year of Culture will see cultural events, exhibitions and activities taking place in both countries throughout 2017.

University scholars Professor Adam Hardy and Dr James Hegarty attended the high profile event at Buckingham Palace on 27 February.

Dr James Hegarty said: “The year of culture will provide a welcome emphasis on the long history of the relationship between Britain and India, as well as the literary and artistic heritage of South Asia. For two academics from Cardiff University to be in attendance, amongst all the royalty and celebrities, is a sign of the institution’s profile in this area of research.”

President of European Association of South Asian Art and Archaeology, Professor Adam Hardy is director of Practice, Research and Advancement in South Asian Design and Architecture (PRASADA) in the Welsh School of Architecture.

Reader in Asian Religions, Dr James Hegarty is currently leading the three year Arts and Humanities Research Council project History of Genealogy, Genealogy of History: Family and the Narrative Construction of the Significant Past in Early South Asia.