On April 27-28, 2011, the Russian State University for the Humanities (RSUH) hosted an international seminar "Open Pages in South Asian Stadiums", organized by the International Training and Research Center for South Asian Studies. The Center was established at RSUH in October 2010. The relevance of creating a Center for the Study of South Asia is primarily due to the fact that it is one of the most important and dynamically developing regions (areas) of the modern world. The six major countries of South Asia (the Republic of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan) are only slightly smaller in area than Western Europe, and the population exceeds 1.5 billion. more than a billion people live in the Republic of India. Three South Asian countries (the Republic of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh) are among the top ten most populous countries in the world. India and Pakistan are both nuclear powers. India, Pakistan and Bangladesh are also among the largest countries with Muslim populations. South Asia is also of equal interest from the point of view of the humanities and social sciences. South Asia is extremely diverse. Almost all existing human races are represented here, and a huge number of languages, religions, and types of human communities are spread (from "primitive" tribes to modern megacities). For cultural anthropologists, linguists, sociologists, religious scholars, economists, political scientists, as well as representatives of other social and humanitarian disciplines, South Asia can provide a wide scope for research activities. Among the main tasks assigned to the Center by the RSUH leadership are: coordination of scientific research in the field of South Asian studies; training of qualified domestic specialists in the field of South Asian studies and improving the level of knowledge in this field among students of related specialties; development of relations with leading educational and scientific centers for South Asian studies both in our c ... Читать далее