Indo-GDR Friendship Association was an organisation based in

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

, working for strengthening relations between India and the

German Democratic Republic German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...

. It appears to have been supported or led by members of the then ruling Congress party in India, particularly during its Leftist phase, under part of the leadership of

Indira Gandhi Indira Priyadarshini Gandhi (; Given name, ''née'' Nehru; 19 November 1917 – 31 October 1984) was an Indian politician and a central figure of the Indian National Congress. She was elected as third prime minister of India in 1966 ...

. Active among its members were some prominent leaders of the then ruling Congress in India, and possibly other left leaning politicians as well.

Branches, journal

The Indo-GDR Friendship Association or Society had branches in Delhi (1966), Nellore (1963), and it had a journal called ''Recognition'', published around 1969 and thereabouts.

Books published

Books such as ''20 Years of India-GDR Relations: An Anthology'' were published by the All India Indo-GDR Friendship Association in 1974.

Tours to the GDR

Writing in ''Women on the March'', published for the women's front of the

All India Congress Committee The All India Congress Committee (AICC) is the presidium or the central decision-making assembly of the Indian National Congress. It is composed of members elected from state-level Pradesh Congress Committees and can have as many as a thousan ...

Ahalya Gagoi writes that in 1975 a "delegation of All India Indo-GDR Friendship Association, consisting of educationists, lawyers and trade unionists visited the German Democratic Republic" and her "subject of special study was the Socialist System of Education in heGDR". Their 19-day visit through the GDR took them through Berlin, Weimar, Erfurt, Sommerda, Magdeburg, Dresden and Potsdam.

Background

Details of the India-GDR relationship of those times is discussed by Sukhada Tatke in ''The Mint''.

References

Bibliography

*''20 Years of India-GDR Relations: An Anthology''.

New Delhi New Delhi (, , ''Naī Dillī'') is the capital of India and a part of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT). New Delhi is the seat of all three branches of the government of India, hosting the Rashtrapati Bhavan, Parliament House ...

: All India Indo-GDR Friendship Association, 1974. East Germany friendship associations India friendship associations Germany–India relations {{org-stub