Goodwill Delegations




As a part of its policy to promote people- to- people relations with other countries , ARSP has been sending cultural and goodwill delegations to various friendly countries. It was in October 1984 when the first big delegation of ARSP visited Mauritius to participate in the celebrations on the occasion of 150th Anniversary of Indian Immigration to Mauritius. Ever since, over 20 delegations have visited Mauritius to attend various social, religious and cultural functions.

ARSP enjoys most friendly and cordial relations with the Royal Government of Bhutan. During 1985 to 2010 13 delegations have visited Bhutan at the invitation of the Royal Bhutan Government. In addition to this, ARSP organized over 50 delegations some of them are mentioned below.

The main purpose of these visits was to promote people-to-people relations with these countries and to participate in World Hindi Conferences, Vishwa Hindu Maha Sammelans, GOPIO Conventions etc. held from time to time.

Shri Baleshwar Agrawal, Secretary General of ARSP visited South Africa in December, 1985 to know the conditions of the Indian people there. This was the time when normally Indian citizens were not allowed by the Government of India to visit South Africa. His visit was followed few more delegations to South Africa in March 1994 at the inauguration of the University Hindu Centre in Durban and in July 1995 to participate in the World Hindu Conference held in Durban. Another delegation visited Durban South Africa to participate in the Vth GOPIO Convention in 1998.

A 10 member delegation visited Bangladesh & Myanmar in Decembe 1986.
A 44 member delegation visited Nepal in August, 1988 to attend the Vishwa Hindu Maha Sammelan, Later three more delegations visited Nepal in 1991,1994 & March 2017 Shri Baleshwar Agrwal visited Fiji for the first time in 1987 and met various social and political leader of the Indian community. Subsequently a delegation consisting of eight members visited Fiji at the invitation of Fiji Youth and Students League in February 1997. On returning from Fiji, the delegation visited Australia and New Zealand.

A delegation of the ARSP also visited Israel in September 1995
Another delegation of 21 members visited Indonesia in March 1989, on the invitation of Shri Punyatmaja Oka, Member of the Indonesian Parliament. This was followed by more delegation in July 1991, 1992.

To meet and get acquainted with the problems of the people of Indian origin in Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand ARSP delegations visited these countries in July 1991, May 2002. September 2004 and July 2008.
Shri Baleshwar Agrawal, Secretary General, ARSP visited Trinidad & Tobago and Guyana in December 1988 to participate in the International Conference. Shri Agrawal was followed by delegations in April 1996 to attend the Vth World Hindi Conference and in May 2005 on the 160th Anniversary of Indian Immigration.

A five member delegation visited Guyana & Suriname from 10th to 14th April 1996.
In November , 1994 a five member delegation visited Sri Lanka on the invitation from Indo -Sri Lanka Forum. They met the President of Sri Lanka, Cabinet Ministers and the leader ofl the opposition party in the Parliament.
Subsequently, a big delegation visited Sri Lanka in September 2004 and July 2008.
A two member delegation visited China in July, 1991, at the Invitation of the Chinese Association for International Cultural Exchange. Later a goodwill delegation of 20 members visited China in June 2004 and 47 member delegation visited China from 17 to 26th May 2010. The delegation was led by Ambassador Shashank, former Foreign Secretary and the President of ARSP. Three members of ARSP visited China on 30th October 2014 to participate in the BCIM (Bangladesh, China, India, Myanmar Economic Corridor) organized by the Chinese Government. Prof. Shashi Bala Joint Secretary ARSP presented her research paper on the Silk Route connecting the Yunan province of China with India and cultural relations between the two countries.

27 member delegation visited Bali (Indonesia) Malaysia & Singapore in February 2011.
On the occasion of 180th anniversary of the arrival of indentured labourers in Mauritius an 88 member ARSP delegation under the leadership of ARSP President Shri Shashank visited Mauritius from 30th October to 5th November 2014.
An ARSP goodwill delegation of 71 members visited Uzbekistan from 15th to 19th May 2016. Indian Ambassador to Uzbekistan Mr. Vinod Kumar gave a warm reception to the ARSP delegation.