‘Soft Power’, a term coined by Joseph Nye in the late 1980s, has been gaining increasing salience in foreign policy debates the world over. While in India, the use of soft power as part of Indian diplomacy had begun even before the term was coined, efforts to leverage various strands of India’s soft power in a sustained manner started gathering momentum with the coming of second NDA-led government to power in 2014. Observance of the United Nations sponsored ‘International Yoga Day’ was an evidence of that endeavour, Prime Minister Modi being its leading flag bearer.

A Chinese translation of Sursagar (the ocean of poems, originally composed by Surdas, a late 15th century blind saint, poet and musician) was released by Mr. Tarun Vijay, Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha, at the Vivekananda International Foundation on January 08, 2016 in the presence of Mr. Sun Shoushan, Vice Minister, State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, and Film & Television of the Republic of China, Prof.

A book, Nehru: A Troubled Legacy, authored by Shri R.N.P. Singh, Senior Fellow, VIF, was formally released by Hon’ble Shri Vijai Kapoor, former Lieutenant Governor Delhi, at a simple ceremony held in the auditorium of Vivekananda International Foundation on 18 August 2015. Following the release, a discussion was held on Nehru and his political legacy.

Vimarsha, VIF’s monthly series of talks on contemporary issues by eminent persons, was held on 30th Oct 2014, with Shri Balmiki Prasad Singh, former Governor of Sikkim, talking about ‘Bahudha in the post 9/11 world’. In his introductory remarks, General NC Vij, Director VIF, explained that Bahudha (a Hindi acronym for pluralism or diversity) epitomizing Indian culture and civilisation, provides the right panacea to a world torn apart by religious bigotry and terrorism. He highlighted that India’s unity truly lies in its diversity.