TAI is an association that consists of 184 members of
Tanzanians who benefited from Indian Council for Cultural Relations scholarship
(ICCR).
Speaking recently during the launching of TIA which aims at
bringing together all diaspora inside and outside the country, TIA Chairperson
Mr Robert Mwampembwa said the association brings all stakeholders who studied
in India and those who are still studying so as to build a good network.
He said TIA will also help to strengthen the bilateral
relations which exist between the two nations.
“Tanzanians who went
to India for their studies will help to remind others who are still
studying that there is a lot to learn from Indians, including spreading
the positive ideology found in India as we relate in many things,” he
said.
Mr Mwampembwa said TIA also intends to promote economic
political and cultural relationships between the two nations.
He noted that India has been providing ICCR scholarships for
many years but the response has not been good, noting that it is high time
Tanzanians grabbed the opportunities which are readily available.
India ICCR President, Dr Vinay Sahasrabuddhe said every
Indian who stays abroad becomes a cultural ambassador while their home country
is the cultural centre.
He said the ICCR has been providing scholarships to African
nations including Tanzania as part of strengthening the relationship between
the counties.
He also congratulated Tanzania High Commissioner to India
for maintaining the cultural relationships between the two nations.
“ICCR is an established institution of over 70 years
history, and the existence of ICCR in 37 countries is going to further
galvanize council relations, ” Dr Sahasrabuddhe noted.
Dr Sahasrabuddhe called upon Indians who live in the county
to become good ambassadors in promoting Indian culture and become part of
Tanzanian culture since there is a lot in common.
“Through this, I believe, it will help in promoting the
understanding about the idea of culture among ourselves,” he said.
Meanwhile, India High Commissioner to Tanzania, Mr Binaya
Pradhan, said the inauguration of TIA will strengthen the India-Tanzania
relationship, friendship, cultural and people to people connect between these
two countries.
He said Tanzania receives the highest number of ICCR
scholarships in Africa.
“In last two years we have done diverse activities,
including having three teachers as part of this cultural centre, installing
statues of Mahatma Gandhi in Zanzibar,
and installing the statue of Swami in this campus.”
He added that recently during the highly successful state
visit of President Samia Suluhu Hassan to India, India again increased the
annual number of scholarships from 70 to 85.