Summary of current Topics and Key Aspects
Welcome to the Website of the Austrian Embassy in New Delhi!
We want to provide you with facts and figures about Austria and give you an overview regarding the political and cultural life of the alpine republic.
The link on "Practical Advice" gives help in consular matters and contains useful information on travelling to Austria and India.
Decoration of two distinguished personalities
Prof. Anil Bhatti, who is one of the most renowned German literature scholars in India, was decorated with the Austrian Cross of Honour for Science and Art 1st Class, on 12 January 2012 by Austrian Ambassador Dr. Ferdinand Maultaschl. Prof. Bhatti received this prestigious decoration for his relentless efforts in disseminating Austrian literature in India and for his leading role in enhancing Indo-Austrian academic relations. Ambassador Maultaschl also decorated Dr. Kalyan S. Sachdev, medical consultant of the Austrian Embassy since 1975. Dr. Sachdev, who had studied medicine in Austria, received the Decoration of Honour in Gold for services to the Republic of Austria for his outstanding medical commitment to helping stranded Austrian nationals as well as for his assistance during major consular crises such as the catastrophic tsunami in 2004 or the devastating flash floods in Ladakh/India in 2010.
Indian President Pratibha Devisingh Patil in Austria, 5 to 7 October 2011
Indian President Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil arrived in Austria on 5 October 2011 for a three-day State Visit. After bilateral talks between President Patil and President Heinz Fischer in the Hofburg, two Memoranda of Understanding were signed in the presence of the two Heads of State. Moreover, Patil together with Fischer opened the Indo-Austrian Business Forum, met with Federal Chancellor Mr Werner Faymann and President of Parliament Mrs Barbara Prammer and travelled to Salzburg, where she was received by Governor Mrs Gabi Burgstaller.
Visit at a school for refugee kids from Myanmar
On 28 June 2011, an Austrian Embassy team visited a school for refugee children from Myanmar in New Delhi. Deputy Head of Mission Raimund Magis and Second Secretary Robert Wank met with about 70 children who come here to be alphabetised in their mother tongue and to attend courses in Hindi, English and mathematics. The school, which since several years is supported by the Austrian Burma Center, is run by the refugee community itself. For many of the refugee children, who live in extreme poverty and who often do not have access to the public school system, this project is the only way to receive primary education.
Austrian President of Parliament Barbara Prammer visits India
H.E. Mrs Barbara Prammer, President of the Austrian National Council (Parliament), visited India from 6 to 11 February 2011 and thus reciprocated the visit to Austria of her Indian counterpart, H.E. Mrs Meira Kumar, in September 2009. Mrs Prammer was accompanied by the Third President of Parliament, Mr Martin Graf (Freedom Party), as well as by Members of Parliament Christine Muttonen (Social Democratic Party), Ruperta Lichtenecker (Green Party) and Sigisbert Dolinschek (Alliance for the Future of Austria), who is Chair of the Parliamentary Friendship Group Austria-South Asia. Promotion of Austro-Indian economic ties was among the main purposes of this high level visit, which led the delegation to the capital New Delhi, to India’s booming IT-centre Hyderabad and to South Indian business hub Chennai.
Austrian support for underprivileged girls in Nepal
As a part of its various development cooperation initiatives, the Austrian Embassy New Delhi this year also engaged in Nepal, one of the countries in its operational area. It supported the NGO Center for Democracy and Development (Kathmandu) in its program to improve health care and health education of poor and underprivileged girls in Nepal. During a visit at the spot, Mr Raimund Magis, Deputy Head of Mission, witnessed the impressive success of the program.
