Education and trade to build bridges of friendship
Clad in a blackish blue suit over a white formal shirt, and his eyes shining through a pair of rimless spectacles, Dr Ashraf Shikhaliyev – Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan smiles as he sits down on a maroon sofa at Global Tourism Summit 2019, organised by Bengal National Chamber of Commerce and Industry in association with Techno India Group, at Hyatt Regency, Kolkata.
He fondly recalls visiting Sister Nivedita University the previous day, where he interacted with the administrative heads, faculty members and students. Dr Shikhaliyev looks visibly overwhelmed as he talks about meeting Satyam Roychowdhury, Managing Director of Techno India Group and Chancellor of Sister Nivedita University, who is also the President of BNCCI. On his maiden trip to Kolkata with his wife Elnara Shikhaliyeva, Dr Shikhaliyev says the purpose of the visit is to focus on strengthening the mutual ties of friendship between India and Azerbaijan on a broader perspective in terms of education, trade and commerce.
He sheds light on how Azerbaijan has risen to prosperity after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. "It was a policy designed by the government of Azerbaijan with the vision to utilise national resources such as coal and gas, for the benefit of the people. This enabled the country to start receiving dollars in 2005. If you visit Azerbaijan, you'll notice the whole image of the country has changed. The capital city Baku is one of the most beautiful European cities because of the country's natural resources, infrastructure and hospitable people. The most important point is, Azerbaijan is geographically located on the crossroad between Europe and Asia, so numerous trade routes pass through this country. Indian businesses can hugely benefit if they can make their presence in Azerbaijan, and that is why our objective is to promote business relations and cultural exchanges between West Bengal and Azerbaijan."
Talking about bilateral trade relations between India and Azerbaijan shooting up almost ten times between 2005 and 2017, Dr Shikhaliyev stresses on the fact that, if one looks at the number of Indian tourists visiting Azerbaijan every year, the surveys prove that only over the last one year it has increased seventy five percent. "I'm a fan of Indian movies. Nowadays, a lot of Indian films are shot in Azerbaijan as the Caspian Sea and the Caucasus Mountains make it a picturesque location. I'm amazed to see Bollywood's massive popularity worldwide, the audience for Indian movies is global. This has a huge positive impact on the tourist inflow in the country. And now, with direct flights between Delhi and Baku estimated to start within the next two weeks, the prospects of tourism relations between the two countries will increase exponentially. We are looking at all major cities of India, but especially West Bengal as it is culturally very dynamic. I believe both countries have immense potential to strengthen the mutual ties of friendship in terms of education, trade and commerce."
He sounds excited when he says that for a first time visitor in Azerbaijan, the Land of Fire will be a magical experience. "An interesting fact is, out of eleven climatic zones in the world, nine are met in Azerbaijan. Its climatic versatility makes it a year-round tourism destination, and from wine tourism to caviar tourism, you name it and you can have it in Azerbaijan."
An admirer of mishti doi, that he tasted in Kolkata, Dr Ashraf Shikhaliyev goes on to confess that everything about India, from cuisine to culture, has a unique charm.
As he signs off to join the next session on stage, his reflection on the huge mirror on the opposite wall along with the flags of India and Azerbaijan look like an emblematic adaptation of new possibilities that had just been ignited between two nations.
