India Afghanistan Foundation

India-Afghanistan Foundation (IAF) is a trust fund setup by the Governments of India and Afghanistan which finances projects aimed at fostering India-Afghanistan relations through enhancement of economic, scientific, educational, technical as well as cultural cooperation. IAF was established in April 2007 with the signing of MOU between India and Afghanistan, with the objective of fostering Indo-Sri Lanka relations through the enhancement of economic, scientific, educational, technical and cultural cooperation and the promotion of greater understanding between the peoples of the two countries.

The management and direction of the Foundation are vested in a Board of Directors consisting of 10 members.  

Ambassador of India to Afghanistanin Kabul and Ambassador of Afghanistan to India in New Delhi are the Co-Chairpersons of the Board. The other eight members are nominated by the two Governments. The present composition of the Board of Directors of the Foundation is as follows:

Shri.ManpreetVohra, Co-Chairperson
Ambassador of India to Afghanistan

Shri.Shaida Mohammad Abdali, Co-Chairperson
Ambassador of Afghanistan to India

Amb Jayant Prasad, Member (India)
Director General, IDSA

Lt. Gen. Syed Ata Hasnain, Member (India)
Visiting Fellow of the Vivekananda International Foundation, New Delhi and Senior Fellow with Delhi Policy Group

Dr. C. Raja Mohan, Member (India)
Head, Strategic Study and Distinguished Fellow
Observer Research Foundation

Mr. Abdul Ghafoor Liwal, Member (Afghanistan)
Deputy Minister of Border and Tribal Affairs

Mr. Jalal Noorani, Member (Afghanistan)
Advisor to Minister of Cultural Affairs

Mr Abdul Khaleq Rashid, Member (Afghanistan))
Former professor to Kabul University and current professor to JNU

Shri.Gopal Baglay, ex-officio member/Convenor (India)
Joint Secretary, PAI Division, MEA

Shri Musa Arifi, ex-officio member/ Convenor (Afghanistan)
Director General, First Pol Division, MOFA

The Board is assisted by Secretaries in Kabul and New Delhi, comprising an official of the respective Embassy, who serves as the Secretary.

RamkumarThangaraj, Secretary
Political/ Media and Info Officer, EoI, Kabul

SaifullahDelawar, Secretary
First Secretary, EoA, New Delhi

Apart from Ambassador to Afghanistan and India, as a Co-Chairpersons and Joint Secretary (PAI) and DG, First Pol Division as Convenors being the de facto posts, the first set of members (2008-2011) was:

Indian side:

1.  Shri I.P. Khosla,
2.  Prof. Amitabh Mattoo, Vice Chancellor, Jammu University.
3.  Shri M.S. Batra, DDG (Retd), AIR

Afghan side:

1.    Prof.NasrullahStanekzai, Kabul University
2.    Ms. Farida Nekzad, Vice President, South Asia Media Commission, Kabul. (Present Chairwomen - Media Commission for elections)
3.    Mr. Mohammad Noor Akbary, Member of Parliament, Wolesi Jirga.           

The second set of members (2011-2014) was:

Indian Members: 

1.      Dr.RamchandraGuha, eminent writer
2.      Mr. Syed Shahid Mahdi, Former Vice President, ICCR.
3.      Mr.AnandSahay, eminent journalist

 

Afghan Members:

1.   Prof.Dr. Mohammad QasimJamder, Professor of Physics Department, Kabul University

2.   Mr.Nazar Mohammad Azizi, General Director, International Center for Kushan Studies

3.   Ms.NajibaMaram, Deputy Director, Bakhtar Information Agency

Activities

The thrust areas identified for promoting understanding and cooperation are:

  • Education & Culture
  • Archeological Studies
  • Agricultural Research
  • Science & Technology
  • Health
  • Technical Training
  • Developmental Studies
  • Women’s Studies


Programmes of the Foundation

  • Facilitating visits and exchanges between India and Afghanistan of scholars, academics, professionals, artists and experts involved in areas of activities covered by the Foundation.
  • Assisting activities such as seminars, symposia, colloquia and workshops on subjects of common interest.
  • Extending financial support to those non-governmental organisations both in India and Afghanistan whose work facilitates achievement of the objectives of the Foundation.
  • Contributing towards publication of standard works on India-Afghanistan relations in specified fields.
  • Encouraging the translations of the standard works of Afghanistan literature into Indian languages and vice-versa and arranging for their publications.

 

 

Consulate General of India Kandahar, Afghanistan