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The Asian Relations Conference was an international conference that took place in New Delhi from 23 March to 2 April, 1947. Organized by the Indian Council of World Affairs  (ICWA), the Conference was hosted by Jawaharlal Nehru , then the Vice-President of the interim Viceroy's Executive Council , and presided by Sarojini Naidu . Its goal was to promote cultural, intellectual and social exchange between Asian countries.

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77-580: Envisioned to be non-political, the Conference included almost all Asian countries, as well as several independence movements. These included nations and communities that were on opposing sides, which inevitably raised political questions. Though the conference achieved an immediate sense of solidarity among Asian nations and saw the establishment of the Asian Relations Organisation, suspicions of an Indian or Chinese hegemony held by

154-545: A chance." In her response, El-Said stated that "we strongly object to any settlement in Palestine except for the Arabs... The Arabs must live in Palestine. Palestine cannot belong any more to its original inhabitants." The Jewish delegation's request to respond was refused by the chairman, and as a result they walked out of the conference, though they were later persuaded by Shanti Swaroop Bhatnagar to return and shake hands with

231-453: A conference of colonised nations, wrote to Nehru asking for African representation in the conference. Nehru denied on the basis that it was an Asian conference, but invited Kenyan observers. Nehru also offered scholarships to Africans studying in India. In a private letter to Shafa’at Ahmad Khan, former Indian High Commissioner to South Africa, Nehru wrote that "this will indicate to Africa and to

308-542: A country." The consensus reached was that equality for all citizens should be respected. At the closing session, George Yeh announced to the public that China would host the next session in 1949, though the second conference never materialized. Other notable Chinese delegates included their leader Zheng Yanfen , Han Lih-wu , Yi Yun Chen and Tan Yun-Shan . High Commissioner in Indochina Georges Thierry d'Argenlieu initially did not wish to accept

385-480: A division of the country into two." The Malayan Union delegation was led by Dr. Burhanuddin al-Helmy and included John Thivy , Abdullah CD , E. E. C. Thuraisingham , P. P. Narayanan , S. A. Ganapathy and Philip Hoalim, who headed the Round Table for "National Movements for Freedom". Thivy proposed the idea of a "neutrality bloc" that will not provide manpower or resources to colonial powers, though this

462-659: A flight in Shanghai, arrived on the last day, and was led by Dr. Lark Geoon Paik of the Chosun Christian University . During the discussion for "National Movements for Freedom", Korean delegates raised the issue regarding its occupation by Allied forces . They stated that, despite the promises of freedom and independence by the Cairo Declaration , "what the Koreans got was Allied occupation and

539-767: A foreign correspondent position, he left the Chicago Daily News to take a position with the Institute of Current World Affairs in India where he reported on the Indian independence movement . The Phillips Talbot Fellowship was named in his honor and is awarded yearly by the Institute to promising young journalists. Talbot was the United States Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern and South Asian affairs from 1961-65 during

616-591: A nation of fighters." The Burmese delegation, along with Ceylon and Malaya, also raised the issue of Chinese and Indian immigrants in their countries. The Ceylon delegation was led by S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike , who also headed the Round Table for Transition from Colonial to National Economy. Notable delegates included C. W. W. Kannangara , Justin Samarasekera , Cissy Cooray and E. M. V. Naganathan , while notable observers included George E. de Silva , Anil de Silva and E. W. Kannangara . Bandaranaike proposed

693-609: A plane crash, Priyamvada Birla, ("Badi Ma") helped take care of him. It is reported that Kumar Mangalam Birla had dipped into his own resources to help his beleaguered relative Yash with his financial issues with creditors in order to preserve the family name. For many decades the extreme wealth in India was associated with the Tatas and Birlas. The words Tata-Birla were often used together. They were distantly followed by Dalmias (Dalmia-Sahu Jain group) for some time, however Tatas and Birlas have been able to sustain themselves as among

770-571: A press conference, where he denounced the inclusion of Jewish representatives from European nations representing Palestine. Soviet republics participating in the conference included Armenia , Azerbaijan , Georgia , Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan , who sent separate delegates. Kirghizia and Turkmenistan arrived late, landing in Delhi one day after the closing plenary. They praised the Soviet system, and tried to demonstrate how it had helped them overcome

847-454: A solidarity and strength which could lead to a real inter-Asian policy." The ICWA was a private organisation, freeing the conference from the influence of the Viceroy's Executive Council, though Nehru had sought backing from the government, only to be turned down by Minister of Finance Liaquat Ali Khan who saw the conference as a chance for Nehru to amass personal glory. The cultural aspect of

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924-485: A sum of money, supposedly for the expenses related to the conference, though this was refused by the Tibetans. Eventually, Chiang Kai-shek sent a message to Chinese Embassy in Delhi, saying that he absolutely wanted the Tibetans to accept the money, which was once again refused by Teiji Sampho in a personal telegram. The conference also saw the first appearance of the flag of Tibet at an international gathering, but also

1001-400: Is given below. It does not include daughters or children who are young (or who died young). Lakshmi Nivas Birla was technically adopted by his uncle Jugal Kishor Birla. As has been noted in the press, some of the branches have been more successful than others. The GD-Basant Kumar-Aditya Vikarm-Kumar Mangalam Birla branch has performed the best, with a group turnover of ₹29,000 Crore in 2004. At

1078-695: Is the natural centre and focal point of the many forces at work in Asia." Mandatory Palestine was represented by the Jewish community from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem . The delegation was led by Professor Hugo Bergmann , and notable delegates included David Hacohen . There was no representation for Palestinian Arabs , though Egypt and observers from the Arab League would come to defend Palestinian interests and disputed some statements made by

1155-795: The American Academy of Diplomacy , the Council of American Ambassadors and the Council on Foreign Relations . Talbot was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and served in the United States Navy during World War II . After graduating from the University of Illinois in 1936, Talbot started as a reporter for the Chicago Daily News , where he remained from 1936 to 1938. In 1939, having been turned down for

1232-905: The Interim Government of India in September, and it was thought inappropriate for him to be the President of the committee. Sarojini Naidu was elected the President in Nehru's place. Funding was largely acquired through public subscription, along with donation from businesses such as the Birlas and the Tata Group . Several princely states ruler, including that of Baroda , Patiala and Jaipur , were personally persuaded by Naidu to provide cars, drivers, fuel and lodgings for delegates in their Delhi houses. The conference raised concerns from

1309-577: The Kennedy and Johnson administrations. Talbot served as President of Asia Society from 1970-1982 and was awarded the Padma Shri in March 2002 for his efforts in fomenting peace between India and America during his tenure as President. Birla family The Birla family is an Indian business family connected with the industrial and social history of India. The Birla family belongs to

1386-639: The Maheshwari community of Bania Vaishya traders. They are Marwari since by convention, merchants from Rajasthan are termed Marwari. The family originates from the town of Pilani in the Shekhawati region of North-east Rajasthan. They still maintain their ancestral residence termed Birla Haweli in Pilani and run several educational institutions there, including the BITS, Pilani . In Pilani, during

1463-721: The Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers (SCAP). Nehru stated that he would not give representation of the Japanese to General Douglas MacArthur or the SCAP over the Japanese people themselves. For the attendees, while most delegates did not oppose the attendance of Japan as the conference was of a non-political nature, a delegate from the Philippines objected to Japan's inclusion due to Japanese war crimes in

1540-562: The Arab delegates. In the closing speech of that session, Nehru said the "question of Palestine itself will be settled in co-operation between them and not by any appeal to or reliance upon any outsider." The Arab League observer Takieddin el-Solh followed with a speech rebutting the Jewish delegates. On the next day, the observer from Egypt Abdul Ahab Azzam issued a signed statement against the Jewish delegation. Mostafa Momen of Egypt also organised

1617-612: The Birlas are perceived as a single entity, the different branches of the family are now financially independent. However they have continued to maintain family relationships that go back to the times when "Birla Brothers" were an actual entity and Raja Baldeo Das was still alive. GD Birla's both wives died early because of tuberculosis (He remarried after the death of his first wife), a common affliction at that time. The families of his brothers Brij Mohan and Rameshwar Das Birla helped in raising his children . When Yash Birla's parents died in

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1694-428: The Birlas include: In a letter, Ghanshaym Das offered this advice to Aditya (his grandson) when he was studying at MIT: GD Birla instructed his son Basant Kumar to 'never utilize wealth only for fun and frolic,' to 'spend the bare minimum on yourself,' and to deride 'worldly pleasures.' This advice symbolized the ethic of the rising Marwari community, with restraint and austerity its defining attributes. Although

1771-603: The British colonial subjugation of Burma, Ceylon, Malaya and Indonesia. North Vietnam pointed out that French planes were still allowed to refuel in Indian bases. Nehru argued that only French hospital planes were allowed to be refueled in India, that his government had begun withdrawing troops from Indonesia and affirmed that "no Asian country should give any direct or indirect assistance to any colonial power in its attempts to keep any Asian country in subjection." When confronted about

1848-476: The Committee of Sciences. Nepal sent 5 delegates. Its leader, Major-General Bijaya Shumshere Jung Bahadur Rana, headed the discussions for "Agricultural Reconstruction and Industrial Development". Another notable Nepalese delegate was Surya Prasad Upadhyaya . The Philippines , which had recently become independent, sent a delegation led by Anastacio de Castro. De Castro denounced American imperialism during

1925-409: The Conference by presenting the women’s point of view on the various matters before the conference and, in particular, in the discussing of the status of women and women’s movements in Asia which is one of the main topics suggested for the agenda." In total, delegates from 28 countries and 8 institutions attended the Conference. Japan was invited but did not attend, as foreign travel was prohibited by

2002-590: The Georgian delegation, who did not speak English, agreed to its use. Tibet received the invitation through Hugh Edward Richardson , the Representative of British India in Lhasa, who advised the Tibetans that it would be a good opportunity to assert Tibet's de facto independence. The team of delegates, geshes , interpreters and servants was led by Teiji Tsewang Rigzing Sampho and Khenchung Lobsang Wangyal of

2079-574: The India Institute, along with W. W. Russell and Nicholas Mansergh of the Royal Institute of International Affairs . The United States sent observers from the Institute of Pacific Relations , which included Virginia Thompson, Richard Adloff and Phillips Talbot . Phillips Talbot William Phillips Talbot (June 7, 1915 – October 1, 2010) was a United States Ambassador to Greece (1965–69) and, at his death, member of

2156-419: The Jewish delegation. The Egyptian team was led by one of its observers, Abdul Wahab Azzam Bey. When Bergmann referred to Palestine as the holy land for his community, Karima El-Said of Egypt sought to respond. Nehru remarked that “we have tried to avoid, for obvious reasons, raising and discussing controversial issues at this Conference... but some reference was made... I think it only right that she should have

2233-671: The Philippines. The All-India Muslim League , which viewed itself as the sole representation of Muslims in India , declined the invitation to the conference. The ICWA was seen as closely aligned with the Indian National Congress and the Brahmin -dominated institution. In a statement, the League denounced the conference as "a thinly disguised attempt on the part of the Hindu Congress to boost itself politically as

2310-504: The Round Table for "Cultural Problems." The country promoted her scientific and culture progress since the Russian Revolution in 1917. US observers commented that "upon request they gladly told of the achievements of their respective governments but their complacency precluded any admission of even the existence of such problems as were plaguing other countries of Asia" and, according to diplomat G. H. Jansen, "in consequence,

2387-669: The Tibetan Foreign Office. The delegation brought along with them documents relating to the Indo-Tibetan borders, including the original copy of the Simla Convention , in hope of reclaiming the disputed North-East Frontier Tracts . While the Republic of China enjoyed cordial relations with India, China viewed Tibet as their sovereign territory and protested Nehru's invitation to Tibet. Dai Jitao , who

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2464-1000: The United Kingdom, the United States and the Soviet Union sent observers. The Arab League observer was Takieddin el-Solh , and the United Nations observer was Kamal Kumar of the United Nations Information Centre in New Delhi. Australia sent Gerald Parker of the Australian Institute of International Affairs and John McCallum of the Australian Institute of Political Science as observers. According to McCallum, Australia "adhered strictly to listener." The United Kingdom observers included V. K. Krishna Menon of

2541-532: The Vietnamese, as any non-moral support would mean war with the French. Asian specialist Evelyn Colbert wrote that his decision was influenced by India's hope to enter negotiations over France's enclave in India with the French. In 1947, the end of colonial rule in India was in sight. The partition of India would occur four and a half months later, and several communal riots broke out in March. India fielded

2618-521: The West of a possible Asian bloc, and Nehru had to affirm that the conference would not "be opposed in any way to America or the Soviet Union or any other power or group of powers." The topics of discussions were originally to be settled by the various Asian countries, but owing to time constraints 8 topics, to be discussed in "Round Tables", were eventually decided by the ICWA: "Defence and Security questions"

2695-399: The basis of the family's fortune. With growing wealth and increasing confidence, Shiv Narayana Birla moved up the value chain and began chartering cargo ships in partnership with other Marwadi tradesmen to trade opium with China, thus by-passing British middlemen. To facilitate this, he moved to Bombay in 1863. Shiv Narayan Birla had one overwhelming sorrow in his life: he had no children. By

2772-501: The closing ceremony. The Iran delegation was led by Gholam Hossein Sadighi . Notable delegates included Mehdi Bayani and Safiyeh Firous, who headed one session of the Round Table for "Status of Women and Women's Movement". Ali-Asghar Hekmat served as one of the three observers. Korea was represented by delegates from the Republic of Korea (South Korea). It had recently been independent from Japanese rule. The delegation, missing

2849-564: The conference "shall not discuss the internal politics of any country because that is rather beyond the scope of our present meeting", and that his intentions for the conference was that "some permanent Asian Institute for the study of common problems and to bring about closer relations will emerge" and "also perhaps a School of Asian Studies." The official language of the conference was English, though Russian, French, Arabic, Persian, and Chinese interpreters were available. Some delegates, such as Tibet, brought their own interpreters. In one session,

2926-510: The conference attributed the conference to Nehru. As early as December 1945, Jawaharlal Nehru stated in an interview that an Asian conference could further promote cooperation between Asian countries. Reporter Phillips Talbot stated that the conference was conceived by Nehru in 1946 as a response to the impact of the Second World War on Asia. In March of that year, Nehru had a meeting with Aung San during his South East Asia tour. It

3003-516: The conference was emphasized to avoid disapproval from the West. The format was modelled after the 1945 IPR Conference at Hot Springs, Virginia , which was attended by the ICWA. In a speech on 22 August, 1946, Nehru stated in a speech that the conference "will help to promote good relations with neighbouring countries. It will help to pool ideas and experience with a view to raising living standards. It will strengthen cultural, social and economic ties among

3080-582: The conference. At the conference, the North Vietnamese denounced French imperialism and asked for help against the French. They made various requests to India, such as a formation of a "fighting federation", for India to recognize their government and intervene in the UN on their behalf. When they began reading a message from Ho Chi Minh, Nehru, despite his known sympathies to Ho, interrupted their speech. Nehru argued that he could only provide moral support to

3157-526: The conference. Other delegates included Paz Policarpio Mendez, who headed one session of Round Table for "Status of Women and Women's Movement". The 2-member Siamese delegation was led by Phraya Anuman Rajadhon , who headed one session of Round Table for "Cultural Problems", along with Sukich Nimmanheminda . Turkey only sent one observer, H. Kocaman, who was the Turkish Vice-Consul in India. The Arab League , United Nations , Australia,

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3234-495: The conference. The Indonesian delegation was led by Dr. Abu Hanifa. Other notable delegates included Siauw Giok Tjhan and Ali Sastroamidjojo , and observers included Agus Salim and Mochtar Lubis . Prime Minister of Indonesia Sutan Sjahrir missed the opening session as he was signing an agreement with the Dutch, but was later brought in an Indian plane chartered for him by Nehru’s government that allowed him to arrive in time for

3311-495: The cotton before shipment to England. Shiv Narayana Birla was one of the early Indian traders to participate in this cotton trade. Later, Britain vigorously fostered the trade of opium with China and developed the cultivation of poppy in India. The Ratlam - Mandsaur region (not far from Ahmedabad) became prime poppy cropland due to the suitable soil and climate. Shiv Narayan Birla and his adopted son, Baldeo Das Birla, made an enormous fortune by trading opium with China, and this formed

3388-452: The demand for gunny bags . During the war, the Birla's worth is estimated to have risen from ₹ 2 million (equivalent to ₹ 540 million or US$ 6.4 million in 2023) to ₹ 8 million (equivalent to ₹ 1.4 billion or US$ 17 million in 2023). In 1919, he became among the first group of Indian entrepreneurs to become owner of a jute mill named Birla Jute . In

3465-453: The early 1880s, Shiv Narayan (Narain) had passed on the baton of his business interests to his adopted son, Baldeo Das Birla, established Shivnarayan Baldeodas, a trading house based in Bombay. His son, Baldeo Das Birla moved to Calcutta set up Baldeodas Jugalkishor in 1887. Baldeo Das was succeeded by four sons  – Jugal Kishore, Rameshwar Das, Ghanshyam Das and Braj Mohan. Baldeo Das

3542-571: The early 19th century lived Seth Shobharam, grandson of Seth Bhudharmal, a local tradesman of modest means. It was his son, Seth Shiv Narayana (1840–1909), who first ventured outside Pilani. At this time, Ahmedabad was the railhead that served trade from a large region of northwest India. Goods (mainly cotton) would be brought from the hinterland to the city and sent from there by train to Bombay for export to England and other countries. Several cotton -inning units were also set up in Ahmedabad, to clean

3619-697: The family established the first high school in Pilani now name as Birla School, Pilani it is one of the oldest school in India. Currently they have 6 schools run by Birla Education Trust (BET), which evolved into BITS Pilani , which has branches in Hyderabad, Goa and Dubai. They also opened a Sanskrit library in Benares and a library in Kolkata. It is well known for the financial support of Indian's freedom struggle and for building temples (see Birla Temple ) in several major Indian cities. The institutions founded by

3696-432: The formation of an Asian economic bloc, though it was opposed by Southeast Asian nations such as Indonesia, Malaya and Vietnam, who cautioned against a repeat of Japanese Asianism . The Ceylonese delegation, along with Burma and Malaya, also raised the issue of Chinese and Indian immigrants in their countries. Indonesia had recently gained recognition from Netherlands, and negotiated for trade and diplomatic relations during

3773-692: The grant on the request of Vallabhbhai Patel to lay the foundation of Birla Vishvakarma Mahavidyalaya in Anand , Gujarat . Baldeo Das, as well as his sons, were among the key supporters of the Swaraj movement led by Mahatma Gandhi, in addition to being dedicated Hindu activists. They were active supporters of the Banaras Hindu University founded by Pt. Madan Mohan Malaviya and were also financial supporters of activities initiated by Mahatma Gandhi. The landmark Laxminarayan Temple in Delhi

3850-418: The idea of a new auxiliary language for Asia was discussed. Indian linguist Baburam Saxena denounced English and suggested Hindu, while the Soviet republics suggested Russian. There were some support for the use of Esperanto . Alfred Bonne, professor of psychology and member of the Jewish delegation, proposed a new language based on Esperanto. Ultimately, English prevailed as the international Asian language when

3927-551: The idea of an Asian conference, parallel to that of the United Nation's, to the ICWA and Nehru. The decision to organise the conference was formalized on 21 May, 1946 by the Executive Committee of the ICWA, The ICWA claimed to be "an unofficial and non-political body" which would "not express an opinion on any aspect of Indian or international affairs", though Nehru had stated that the conference "might develop

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4004-543: The invitations for French Indochina in fear of anti-French demonstration at the conference, but changed his mind to avoid representation given to the Viet Minh , Khmer Issarak or the Lao Issara . The delegations for French Indochina was handpicked by the French. Princess Pingpeang Yukanthor represented Cambodia , Dang Ngoc Chan represented Cochinchina and Ouroth Souvarnavong represented Laos . North Vietnam , on

4081-427: The issue of Indian immigrants and their dual citizenships in Southeast Asia, the Indian delegates showed "indifference" and implied that the immigrants' "right to return" could be revoked. One goal of the conference, though denied by Nehru, was to propel India to be the leader of new Asia. In the opening speech, Nehru stated that "it is fitting that India should play her part in this new phase of Asian Development... She

4158-425: The largest delegation with 52 delegates and 6 observers. Guests invited by India included Christoph von Fürer-Haimendorf . During the opening of the conference, Mahatma Gandhi was visiting villages in an attempt to quell riots and violence. Nehru, in his opening speech, noted that Gandhi was "engrossed in the service of the common man in India, and even this Conference could not drag him away from it." However, Gandhi

4235-493: The last international event Tibet participated in, before their annexation by China in 1950. Outside of the dispute with China, the Tibetans were not high-profile participants of the conference, partly due to their isolation from international politics. Their main interest was religion, and they bought a message from the Dalai Lama . On the other hand, China remained active in the discussions for "Racial Problems" and "Inter-Asian Migration." Chinese delegates were concerned about

4312-402: The leaders of India, like Sardar Patel after India's independence. When E. M. S. Namboodiripad became the chief minister of Kerala (1957–59), as a result of the first elected Marxist government anywhere, the Birlas were invited to establish a pulp factory there. In the recent past, the Birlas, as well as several other Indian industrialists, have expanded overseas. A simplified family tree

4389-455: The legal status of Chinese immigrant populations in Southeast Asian. The Southeast Asian nations, including Ceylon, Burma, and Malaya, accused the Chinese and Indian immigrants to be "narrow minded" and "refused to assimilate", and called for the dual citizenship (and allegiance) issue of these immigrants to be resolved. Chinese delegate Wen Yuan-ning , who headed the discussions, called for equality of "persons of foreign origin who have settled in

4466-418: The many problems faced by the countries in the conference. They claimed that "no strikes occurred in the Soviet Union... because industry belongs to society as a whole." Kazakhstan promoted her democratic and agricultural reforms, and together with Uzbekistan reported their achievements in education after it was made free and compulsory. The Georgian delegation was led by Victor Kupradze, who headed one session of

4543-418: The map on the stage showed Tibet as independent of China, and that the Chinese delegation would withdraw unless the map was corrected. According to one account, Yeh, a calligrapher and painter, was eventually allowed by Nehru to paint Tibet the same colour as China. Later, the Chinese Ambassador in India attempted to bribe the Tibetan delegations, asking them not to pursue the Tibetan border dispute in exchange of

4620-406: The minor nations did not allow the organisation to be effective, nor the second Asian Relations Conference held in 1950 to be as successful as the first. It is not known who first conceived the idea of the Asian conference. Though Nehru stated, in the opening speech of the conference, that "the idea of such a conference arose simultaneously in many minds and many countries of Asia", some observers at

4697-412: The next few years he acquired several cotton mills. He later started several sugar mills. The publication Hindustan Times was co-founded by GD Birla in 1924 and fully acquired by him in 1933. Hindustan Motors was started in 1942. After India's independence in 1947 he started Grasim (Gwalior Rayon Silk Manufacturing, 1948) and Hindalco (Hindustan Alum Company 1958) among others. He also generously led

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4774-429: The other end is Yashovardhan Birla, who has struggled. Birla philanthropy began in the 1880s, when the Birla family donated over 100,000 rupees for setting up goshalas (shelters for the protection of cows) in Kolkata. By early 1900, the Birla family began to support education, influenced by Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya. They supported educational charities in Kolkata and in Mumbai teaming up with Jamnalal Bajaj . In 1918,

4851-400: The other hand, was represented by Tran Van Luan (Deputy of the National Assembly ), Tran Van Giau (Former President of the Viet Minh Resistance Committee in Cochinchina) and Mai Te Chau (Permanent delegate of the Viet Minh in New Delhi). The delegations reported that two squads of messengers were killed while smuggling credentials from Ho Chi Minh ’s headquarters in Bangkok, and arrived late at

4928-651: The peoples of Asia." The conference was envisioned by Nehru to be non-political, though this would prove difficult as the conference must balance the positions of various conflicting nations. Active preparations began on 31 August, 1946, when the Organising Committee was established. Nehru was made President of the Committee, which included Sarojini Naidu , Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan , Abul Kalam Azad , Asaf Ali , Baldev Singh , Shanti Swaroop Bhatnagar , G. D. Birla , Hannah Sen , Hansa Jivraj Mehta , Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay , Bidhan Chandra Roy , Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit , Zakir Husain and Ishtiaq Hussain Qureshi . Nehru joined

5005-427: The position which is in no way injurious to Chinese interests. Non-official cultural conference cannot be expected to consider political niceties." The Tibetan delegation heard about the Chinese opposition for the first time when they arrived at Calcutta . They sent their servants ahead to Delhi, to see if their invitation and accommodations were cancelled. The Indian Government assured that they were still invited. It

5082-477: The prospective leader of the Asiatic peoples" and the "sole cultural representative of this vast sub-continent." The organisers, meanwhile, argued that "political problems, particularly of a controversial character or relating to the internal affairs of any participating countries are deliberately excluded from the agenda of the Conference." Syria , Lebanon and Yemen did not participate in the conference due to this boycott. Six Kenyan leaders, upon hearing news of

5159-499: The report is full of flattering references to the Soviet republics." The delegation from Afghanistan was led by Dr. Abdul Majid Khan, President of the Kabul University , who headed one session of the Round Table for "Cultural Problems". Bhutan sent two observers, Jigme Palden Dorji and Rani C. Dorji, but no delegates. Burma was, at the time of the conference, undergoing the 1947 Burmese general election , and Aung San did not attend due to his campaign. The Burmese delegation

5236-438: The world how much interested we are in the advance and progress of backward peoples." The conference was held between 23 March and 2 April, 1947, lasting for 10 days. The President of the Organizing Committee of the Conference was Sarojini Naidu. Its opening and closing session were held publicly under a large pandal in Purana Qila . The opening session featured speeches by Naidu and Nehru. In his speech, Nehru reiterated that

5313-422: Was able to attend on 1–2 April after he was urgently summoned for a meeting with Mountbatten in Delhi. He addressed the communal riots in his closing speech, calling them "a shameful thing and it is an exhibition which I would like you not to carry to your respective countries but bury here." During discussion for "National Movements for Freedom", India faced some criticism regarding the presence of Indian troops in

5390-452: Was awarded the Raibahadur title in 1917. In 1920 he retired from business and started living in Banaras pursuing religious studies. In 1925 he was awarded the title of "Raja" by the government of Bihar and Orissa. He was awarded D.Litt. by Banaras Hindu University. Ghanshyamdas Birla laid the foundation of his industrial empire by establishing GM Birla Company, trading in jute , in 1911. The First World War began in 1914 greatly increasing

5467-465: Was built by Jugal Kishore Birla and was inaugurated by Mahatma Gandhi and as asked by Mahatma, all Hindus, including Harijans were welcomed in this temple. In the few decades before India's independence, Indian merchants, including the Birlas, made successful attempts to enter and acquire industries in India which were once dominated by Scots from Britain. This became a part of Mahatma Gandhi's Swadeshi movement. The Birlas remained close to some of

5544-692: Was led by Justice Kyaw Myint of the Rangoon High Court. Notable delegates included Htin Aung , Hla Myint , Thein Han , Tha Hla , Ba Lwin , M. A. Rashid and Mya Sein , while notable observers included Thakin Mya and Chan Htoon . The Burmese resistance to British was discussed, with the Philippines proposing "a policy of peaceful resistance" for the country, which Daw Saw Inn rejected as "the Burmese are

5621-425: Was not adopted. The Malay delegation, along with Ceylon and Burma, also raised the issue of Chinese and Indian immigrants in their countries. The Mongolian People's Republic had recently broken free from China. The delegation took a detour to Moscow to pick up Russian interpreter, who was to be their only contact with the other delegates. They arrived on the last day of the conference, and was led by Lubsan Vandan of

5698-493: Was originally the first topic, but it was replaced by "National Movements for Freedom" to avoid controversial political issues at the conference. All Asian countries were invited, along with Egypt who was thought to be closely aligned to the Middle East, and observers from the West. Nehru had also requested delegations to include "at least one woman [ sic ] delegate from your country who will be able to assist

5775-628: Was reported that the topic of an Asian Conference was discussed. In August, he credited the 1927 League against Imperialism , which he attended, as his inspiration for an Asian conference. Another possible engineer of the conference was B. Shiva Rao , who was involved in the Indian Institute of International Affairs (IIIA) and the Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA), and who attended Institute of Pacific Relations (IPR) and United Nations conferences. In September 1945, he proposed

5852-456: Was reported the journey from Lhasa to New Delhi took 21 days. Upon their arrival, they were urged by Nehru to keep the conference non-political and not to raise their border issue. The Tibetan delegates agreed not to be the first to raise the border issue, but would "not remain a silent spectator if the Chinese did." During the conference, Chinese observer George Yeh protested to Nehru that

5929-576: Was supposed to lead the delegation, declined to attend due to the Tibetan issue. K. P. S. Menon , India’s Agent-General in China, had to convince China that the conference was a cultural organization where no political conclusions could be drawn. He also agreed to call Tibetan delegates "representatives" instead. In a letter to Menon, Nehru wrote that he was "unable to understand Chinese attitude to Asian Conference when Conference Organisers have fully explained

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