National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan hosted a reception in Hanoi on June 13 for Geetesh Sharma, President of the India-Vietnam Solidarity Committee in India’s West Bengal.

National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan welcomes Geetesh Sharma, President of the India-Vietnam Solidarity Committee in India’s West Bengal

Ngan thanked Geetesh Sharma and members of the India-Vietnam Solidarity Committee in West Bengal for fostering people-to-people contact between the two countries.

She underscored that Vietnamese people always keep in mind the support provided by India in the past and at present, lauding contributions of the India-Vietnam Solidarity Committee to stepping up the bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership.

The NA leader highly valued efforts of President Geetesh Sharma in the past 50 years through stories and translated publications and books on Vietnam and late President Ho Chi Minh, as well as his initiative to translate two Vietnamese poem collections to Hindi and Bengali languages and publish them.

She mentioned meaningful activities held by the committee to show support and solidarity with Vietnamese people and strengthen people-to-people ties and cultural exchanges between the two countries. 

The NA leader said she hopes that a fact-finding tour of localities in Vietnam will enable Sharma to gather materials for his works and seek measures to enhance the cooperation between the committee and relevant Vietnamese agencies.

For his part, Sharma reiterated warm sentiments and whole-hearted support that Indian people have given Vietnam. 

From 1945-1975, his hometown in Kolkata, the capital city of West Bengal State, launched various movements to show solidarity with Vietnamese people.

Stressing the need to continue maintaining and promoting the friendship between the two countries, Sharma said that in the coming time, the two countries should continue increasing people-to-people exchange as well as cooperation in tourism and culture.

He revealed that he is writing a book about the admiration for the nation and people of Vietnam, which has been completed by half. He said he hopes that the visit will help him finish the book in November, contributing to bolstering mutual understanding between Vietnamese and Indian people. 

VNA