In a world where diplomacy is often measured in summits and statements, Prof. Tomio Mizokami stands as a reminder that the deepest international bonds are built through language, scholarship, and lifelong cultural commitment. On 8 January 2026, the Padma Shri awardee and renowned Japanese Indologist visited the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), where he met Smt. K. Nandini Singla, Director General of ICCR, and Dr. Rajesh Ranjan, Deputy Director General, in a meeting that celebrated decades of quiet yet profound cultural exchange between India and Japan.
Widely acknowledged as the first Japanese scholar to conduct extensive and systematic academic research on Punjabi, Prof. Mizokami’s work has played a pioneering role in introducing Indian languages and cultural traditions to Japanese academia. His scholarship opened doors at a time when Indian regional languages were scarcely studied in Japan, laying the foundation for future generations of students and researchers to engage with India beyond surface-level narratives.
Describing him as “an embodiment of cultural diplomacy,” ICCR highlighted how Prof. Mizokami’s life’s work has enabled countless learners in Japan to understand India through its linguistic diversity, literature, and cultural philosophy. His research and teaching have not only strengthened academic ties but have also fostered empathy and mutual respect core pillars of people-to-people diplomacy.
Prof. Mizokami’s visit was hosted under ICCR’s Academic Visitors Programme 2025–26, an initiative designed to bring distinguished global scholars to India and deepen intellectual and cultural collaboration. During his time at ICCR, he also interacted with members of the media, sharing reflections on the evolving India–Japan relationship and the enduring role of language in strengthening bilateral ties.
Significantly, his visit coincided with World Hindi Day, lending added resonance to conversations around linguistic bridges and cultural understanding. Prof. Mizokami spoke about how Indian languages Hindi, Punjabi, and others serve not merely as tools of communication, but as gateways to understanding India’s social fabric, values, and worldview. He emphasized that genuine connections between nations are nurtured when people learn to listen to each other in their own voices.
As India and Japan continue to expand their partnership across strategic, economic, and technological domains, figures like Prof. Tomio Mizokami remind us of the human foundation beneath these collaborations. A scholar, a bridge, and a lifelong cultural envoy, his journey exemplifies how one individual’s dedication to learning and teaching can quietly shape international understanding for generations to come.
Originally source by: https://www.facebook.com/iccr.delhi.12/posts/a-scholar-a-bridge-a-lifelong-cultural-envoypadma-shri-awardee-prof-tomio-mizoka/1441787287464690/
