The first informal meeting for the foundation of the Hellenic Society for Indian Studies (that finally took the form of the Indo-Hellenic Society for Culture and Development) took place the evening of the 23rd July 2002 in the hospitable residence of Mrs Dione Dodis in the centre of Athens opposite from the green Lykavittos and the American Embassy. Chief Guests were H.E. the Ambassador of India to Greece, Mr Arun Kumar Banerjee, and the Honorary Consul of India in Salonica, Mrs Yvoni Alexandridou who honored the meeting with their presence. Despite the high temperatures of the season, which prevented many interested members from attending the meeting, Mrs Dodis' residence was packed with scholars, artists, former students, and friends of India from all over Greece.

The discussion commenced with a remark by the Indologist scholar, Dr. Demetrios Vassiliades that there is a need to upgrade the present status of the International Studies in the country, particularly in the times of the Cultural Olympiad and the Culture of Cultures that Greece promotes globally. He also clarified that the upgrade must involve the introduction of a Department for Asian Studies and the teaching of Indology and South Asian Studies in the universities. The simultaneous foundation of a Civil Society could also further facilitate the collaboration with governmental, municipal and private institutions and the undertaking of related cultural and educational events for the benefit of the public in general.

Then, Alexis Karsiotis, a musician and organizer of Indian musical concerts, referred to certain individuals who have dedicated their lives in the promotion of the Indian culture. He additionally stressed that these individuals could undertake many more projects if the Society under-consideration could facilitate a collaborative support from the cultural institutions of Greece, India and European Union. Finally, he addressed the need to encourage all the concerned individuals and organizations to register themselves as members of the Society.

The Lawyer Antonis Papadopoulos advocated the statute of the Civil Non- Profit Society that allows it to function with the flexible form of an enterprise and he clarified the existing legal differences between the Non-Profit Society and the Association.

The yachtsman photographer, Antonis Vassiliades stressed that the new Society should not be seen as competitive to the already existing Greek-Indian Association, but on the contrary it will contribute considerably in the completion of their common objective that is the growth of the Indo-Greek friendly relations. The writer Yannis Manettas, who has served in the past as Vice-President of the Greek-Indian Association, confirmed this observation.

The Honorary Consul of India in Thessalonica, Mrs Yvoni Alexandridou pointed out that it is time to act upon this idea that has been in discussion for the last five years. She also explained that the Society would facilitate the organization of various cultural programs in Greece and collaborate with similar institutions in India and the World. Mrs Alexandridou's observations were greeted positively by Ms Sophia Papoutsi who just returned in Greece after successfully finishing her postgraduate study in Sociology at the Jawaharlal Nehru University.

Dr. Ifianassa Karabatsou, director of the alternative healing center in Athens, referred to the low standard of many institutions that apply Oriental healing traditions in Greece and the necessity to reinvigorate these institutions with knowledge based on the principles of science and arts. Mrs Helen Kukubiki, who has taught gymnastics and yoga the last 20 years at  schools in Greece, clarified that yoga is a science independent from religion and as such could be included in the courses that the under-consideration Society will provide to its members in the future. The Indian Ambassador supported her opinion and added that during his service in an African country, yoga had been imported as an obligatory course in the army.   

Kostas Tsioulios, Dione Dodis, and Dora Konstada expressed concerns about the success of the Society as they judged that it requires co-ordination and dedication by many people - something rare in our days.

Finally, H.E. the Ambassador of India to Greece, Mr Arun Kumar Banerjee expressed his pleasure for the friendly interest that modern Greeks show to India and her culture and he welcomed the whole effort promising that he will provide every possible help via the Indian Council for Cultural   Relations and other Indian institutions if he will be asked for. 

The discussion closed with the unanimous decision that selected members will form the first Administrative Council and will approve the statute of the Society in order to submit it in the court for an official registration before undertaking any activity.

The members of the first Administrative Council of the under-foundation Society met almost one year later, on the 1st July 2003, in the Byzantine Cafe of the Athens-Hilton Hotel. One year was needed to mature the thought and to transform the idea into reality. During this time, individual efforts were continued, new books were published, and successful cultural programs were organized showing once more the cosmopolitan spirit of the modern Greeks and their continuous interest in the ancient and colorful cultures of the Indian Peninsula.

During this meeting, various proposals were discussed with regard to the title and the form of the Society. Originally the focus was theoretical, based exclusively on Indian Studies. However, after taking into consideration the present situations and the current programs of the European Union, we expanded our focus to include developmental projects in the Indian Peninsula.  The statute was approved and the decision was taken for the foundation of a Civil, non-Governmental and non-Profit Society under the name of the Indo-Hellenic Society for Culture and Development (ELINEPA). Our expanded focus embraces the objectives of many new members coming from diverse sectors in Greece and abroad.

The community of the Indian immigrants in Greece, whose children are facing serious problems in education, accepted the news of the foundation of the ELINEPA with great elation. The creation of an Indian school for the children of the immigrants who will be taught the Indian languages and culture, in first phase on the weekends, constitutes a basic duty of the Greek and Indian states and for that the Society is ready to support those who would undertake this program. At the same time, the ELINEPA. proceeds in the creation of its own team, that consists of Greek and Indian scholars, lecturers, writers and artists in order to provide lectures, presentations, and documentaries on Indo-Hellenic and Indological subjects wherever and when it would be requested. At the beginning of the new academic year, the ELINEPA also intends to submit its proposal for the introduction of Indology and South Asian Studies in the Universities of Athens, Crete and Thrace that already have active Departments for Asian Studies.

The inter-cultural and developmental societies in Greece, India, Europe and America expressed positive interest for the edition and publication of Indological works and particularly for the creation of the ELINEPA's website. The online publication of the transcultural forum "INDIKA" in the website of the Society provides, for the first time in the long Indo-Greek cultural history, the possibility of expression and direct communication between interested members of the two Continents and a valid forum for the publication of articles, news and research. 

Immediately after its foundation, the ELINEPA published its first book on the Sanskrit language that constitutes the base of the Indian culture. The Introduction to Sanskrit Language  is a useful instrument for philologists, linguists and students of Indian culture. The Department of Literature of the Crete University expressed a sincere interest for Sanskrit studies and invited the chairman of the ELINEPA to deliver a lecture on the ancient Indo-European language.  Concurrently, it presented the film documentary "From the Foreigner to the Foreigner"  dedicated to the life and work of the pioneer Indologist, Demetrios Galanos (1760-1833). This  unique documentary directed by Yannis Tritsibidas in collaboration with the chairman of ELINEPA also received very positive comments from the Athenian public during its premiere  in the Cultural Centre of the Municipality of Athens where it was presented by the former Ambassador to India and Chairman of the Greek - Indian Association, Dr Vassilis Vitsaxis.

In the cultural field, the ELINEPA has come in contact with the Indian Council for Cultural Relations and the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts in New Delhi, so that it could undertake the organization of future musical programs and exhibitions of Indian folk arts in Greece. ELINEPA also aims to support the Greek artists who have dedicated their lives to the study of Indian music and have created their own groups in Athens, Ioannina, Chania and Pennsylvania (USA). Additionally, we have initiated contacts with the musical groups of  Indian immigrants working in Greece as well as inter-cultural societies in Europe for a coordinated  organization of national and international cultural programs.

The ELINEPA's successful organization of a Dhrupad Concert in the Cultural Centre of the Municipality of Ioannina, last October, demonstates its capacity to successfully organize such cultural events whenever there is a need. ELINEPA has already corresponded positively in the interest of the Mayor of Kavala, Dr Stathis Erifilides, for the participation of Indian musical groups in the international festival "Cosmopolis" that is being organized by the city every summer. Positive was also the response of the Society to the initiative of the Honorary Consul of India in Thessalonica, Mrs Yvoni Alexandridou, for the organization of a rich Indo-Greek cultural program on the occasion of the imminent "twinning" of the cities of Calcutta and Thessalonica. 

In India, the ELINEPA, in collaboration with the Indian Society for Greek and Roman Studies and the Indo-Hellenic Friendship League of New Delhi, submitted a proposal to the Greek Embassy for the organization of a series of cultural programs in the major Indian cities on the occasion of the Olympic Games Athens-2004. The Greek Ambassador Stathis Lozos, corresponded positively, particularly for the edition and publication of the Greek Hindi and Hindi Greek Dictionary. However, to the current date, there has been no response from the concerned authorities. Nevertheless, the Department of Publications of the ELINEPA began the materialization of this monumental work with the subsidy of the Greeks in America, who are particularly sensitive in matters concerning Greek language and culture abroad. The edition of the Dictionary has been undertaken by the Chairman of the ELINEPA in collaboration with eminent Indian linguists. The whole work is in its final stages and it will be published in Greece and India very shortly. 

With regard to the European Union's Transcultural Programs with India, the ELINEPA, in collaboration with the St. Xavier College in Kolkata and the Open University (The Ferguson Centre for Asian and African Studies) in London, submitted a joint Proposal - Application in the office of the EU's Delegation in New Delhi for the initiation of a scientific research and the creation of cultural documentary that will have as subject the theatrical and cinematographic influences in Greece, India and Great Britain. The supervision of this program is under the vice-president of the ELINEPA, Dr. Helen Abadzi, who is considered as one of the most competed scholars on the subject.

In addition, the ELINEPA has recommended the Municipality of Athens to participate as second European partner, in the proposal for the creation of a cooperative in the European Union's program Asia Urbs that has been prepared by the Municipality of Varanasi in collaboration with the Municipality of Rome. The Mayor of Athens, Mrs Dora Bakogianni approved the proposal that was submitted officially to her by the Mayor of Rome Mr. Veltroni and the whole program has been forwarded to the E.U. for final approval. 

In the most sensitive era of Aid and Development, the ELINEPA has placed as an immanent objective the creation of an Indo-Greek Chamber of Commerce. This work needs time and is especially difficult, as it requires the simultaneous collaboration of many Greek and Indian institutions. At present, the Society has begun the 'Lawnet Project', that aims to provide legal support to businessmen who are seeking new possibilities for collaboration and enterprises between the countries of the EU and South Asia and supports commercial collaborations between Greek and Indian companies. The "Lawnet Project' is under the supervision of the Athenian lawyer and General Secretary of the ELINEPA, Antonis Papadopoulos, who is specialized in the commercial law of the EU and has a long experience in the developmental relations of South Asia.  

The admission of members from the enterprising world in the ELINEPA would also stimulate the sector of Aid and Development which aim to provide educational scholarships to poor students as well as material help in emergency situations. For the further consolidation of the sector of development, the ELINEPA is preparing to register, in the near future, as member of the Department of International Developmental Collaborations (Y.D.A.S.) in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in the European Union. In this way, the interested members would be able to collaborate with other institutions of Indian peninsula, and undertake projects for the elimination of poverty and the economic development of the region.

D. V.