1st ‘Confucius Classroom’ opens to teach Mandarin

Kolkata: Despire the recent tensions at Doklam and Arunachal Pradesh and high voltage diplomatic drama between two of the emerging economic powers of the world —China and India, Kolkata  on Tuesday threw open India’s first ‘Confucius Classroom’, courtesy consulate general of  People’s Republic of China in Kolkata, Yunnan Normal University, Kunning, China and The School of Chinese Language Kolkata.

The Confucius Classroom, approved by the Chinese government, will provide authentic Mandarin teaching to students of leading high schools, colleges and universities with a select group of 10-15 faculties being flown in from China.  “The initiative aims at adding a micro-drop of understanding to the ocean of friendship, which lies between the people of India and China through language and understanding,” said Ma Zhanwu, Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Kolkata.

“Confucius is the way of life, people of China do not follow any religion, they just follow a way of life as part of their culture.  So we are trying to promote not just only the language but also the culture,”  said Charishma Saraff, principal, The School of Chinese Language Kolkata.