Maulana Azad Centre for Indian Culture

About Us:

Maulana Azad Centre for Indian Culture (MACIC), the cultural wing of the Embassy of India in Cairo, aims at strengthening cultural relations between India and Egypt.

This full-fledged cultural centre, the only of its kind in the Arab region, was opened in January 1992. The centre is sponsored by Indian Council for Cultural Relations.

Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (1888-1958) was a distinguished scholar, and independent India’s first Education Minister. He fought for India’s independence from British colonial rule. A champion of secularism and open society, he laid the foundation of India’s education and cultural policies. He made a significant contribution to the setting up of centres of scientific methods and cultural methods of enquiry. Maulana Azad’s acclaimed commentary of the Quran, “Tarjuman Al-Quran”, is considered among the best by the scholars of Islam.

Maulana Azad had a special interest in cultural exchange between civilisations and nations. He founded the Indian Council for Cultural Relations and encouraged cultural cooperation between Asia and Africa.

He visited Al Azhar and had a special affinity for Egypt’s great civilisation.  It is in recognition of Maulana Azad’s affection for Egypt and Egyptians that the Centre of Indian Culture in the Arab region has been named after him.

India and Egypt signed a Cultural Agreement at Cairo in September 1958. Shri. R.K.Nehru, the then India’s Ambassador to Egypt, and Mr. Mahmoud Fawzy, then Foreign Minister of Egypt signed the Agreement. It provided for cooperation in art and culture, education, mass-media, tourism and sports. With the Cultural Agreement laid down the broad principles of cooperation, these are implemented through the Cultural Exchange Programme (CEP’s) formulated under the Agreement.

Eight CEP’s have been signed between the two countries till now. The most recent Executive Programme of Cultural, Educational and Scientific Cooperation between the Republic of India and the Arab Republic for the years 2003-2005 was signed at New Delhi in December 2002.It has 42 articles. This CEP shall remain valid until a new CEP is signed.

The latest CEP is one of the most comprehensive India has signed with an Arab country. It provides for exchanges in the fields of education and science, arts and culture, mass-media, social affairs, health, tourism, youth and sports and human resources.

Facilities & Activities:

Apart from coordinating the implementation of India-Egypt CEP, MACIC presents a number of regular activities: Yoga Courses, Film Shows, Book and Photo Exhibitions, Music and Dance performances, Lectures, Seminars, Urdu and Hindi Classes and Painting and Essay competitions.

Scholarships: The Cultural Exchange Programme between India and Egypt provides for exchange in the fields of education, science, arts and culture, mass-media, social affairs, health, tourism, youth and sports and human-resource. The scholarship programme for the year 2003-2004, offers 11 scholarships to Egyptian students for under-graduate and post-graduate studies (Incl. Ph.D.) at Indian Universities.

There are other scholarships offered by the Government of India from time to time to students from Afro-Asian countries. For details, visit our Study in India page.

Film Shows: Indian films are screened twice a week, every Thursday and Sunday from 3 p.m. for Cinema Club members; the membership fee for which is nominal.

Lectures: An interesting array of lectures in Arabic and some in English are organised from time to time.

Indian Language Classes: The Centre offers Urdu and Hindi language classes. The Hindi language classes are conducted for beginners in Arabic, thrice a week - Sunday, Tuesday & Thursday (from 4 p.m. - 5 p.m) and on Monday & Wednesday (from 4 p.m.- 5  p.m) for the advanced level students. Urdu classes are also offered at both levels; for beginners, thrice a week - Sunday, Tuesday & Thursday (from 3 p.m. - 4 p.m) and on Monday & Wednesday (from 3 p.m.-4 p.m) for the advanced level students.

Yoga: Three month Yoga courses are conducted, four days a week at three levels - beginner, intermediate and advanced. The classes include a special consultation on Yoga Therapy every Thursday.

Library: MACIC has a well-stocked library with more than 8000 books. The library has an audio and visual section catering to those who are interested in Indian music and films. The library offers online facilities to members. The library also features new and popular magazines from India (in English and Hindi) as well as Indian newspapers. The library is open from 10am – 6 pm, Sunday to Thursday. For membership details click here

Other events: The Centre offers the public, other events and schedule of happenings. These include painting and drawing competitions for children, Indian dance and music performances, cultural exchanges between India and Egypt, ICCR scholarships to Egyptian students and much more. 

Do Visit the Maulana Azad Centre for Indian Culture