On August 30th, Chinese Ambassador to India H.E. Sun Weidong visited Solapur, Maharashtra, paid homage to Dr. Kotnis at Dr. Kotnis Memorial Hall and delivered a speech themed “Uphold the Imperishable Spirit of Dr. Kotnis and Foster the Ever-lasting Friendship” as follow:
Mr.P.Sivasankar, Municipal Commissioner of Solapur,
Mr.Rajendra Jadhav, Chairman of Dr. Kotnis Memorial Committee,
Members of Dr. Kotnis Memorial Committee,
Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear friends,
Namaste and good afternoon!
It is my great honor and pleasure to visit Solapur, the hometown of Dr. Dwarkanath Kotnis, and pay rich tribute to Dr.Kotnis Memorial Hall.
This is my first visit to Solapur, but it feels like I'm reunited with an old friend, and I’m feeling so familiar with everyone present here and every tree and blade of grass here.
Dr. Kotnis is well known in so many households in China. Being here today, I have fulfilled my wishes for years .
Ladies and Gentlemen, Friends,
The Chinese nation is a nation that remembers history and cherishes friendship.
On 3 September, 2020, at a symposium to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, President Xi Jinping said in his important speech that, Canadian doctor Norman Bethune and Indian doctor Kotnis came to China from thousands of miles away to save lives. Their touching stories and noble character will always be remembered in the hearts of the Chinese people!
I still remember, over ten years ago in Mumbai I visited Ms. Manorama Kotnis, the third sister of Dr. Kotnis. Together we paid our respects to the eulogy written by Chairman Mao Zedong for Dr. Kotnis, recalled the life of Dr. Kotnis, reviewed the history of friendly exchanges between our two countries, and talked about the future of China-India friendship.
Just now, I visited the memorial hall to review the life and deeds of Dr. Kotnis. I was very much touched to see that Chairman Mao's eulogy is well preserved here.
Here, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the Solapur Municipal Corporation and Kotnis Memorial Hall for carefully maintaining the collections and Dr. Kotnis’s relics of this memorial hall and providing us with this valuable venue to commemorate Dr. Kotnis and carry forward the traditional friendship between China and India.
I also want to thank Mr. Rajendra Jadhav, Chairman of Kotnis Memorial Committee, all the members of Kotnis Memorial Committee, relatives of Dr. Kotnis and friends from Solapur.
Over the years, you have been committed to promoting people-to-people exchanges between the two countries and made important contributions to the cause of China-India friendship.
On behalf of the Chinese Embassy and Consulates General in India and all the Chinese friends, I thank you!
Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear Friends,
Dr. Kotnis is a great friend of the Chinese people.
He was so much cordial to the Chinese people and fully involved with everyone. He lived together with them, sharing joys and sorrows, and learning to speak fluent Chinese.
He was not afraid of fatigue. From day to night, he worked nearly 20 hours a day. He encouraged and affected everyone around him with his enthusiasm, and had won the genuine reverence of the Chinese people and army.
Dr. Kotnis is a great son of the people of India.
He was completely dedicated to his work. Under the circumstances of extreme hardship and severe shortage of medicines, and facing the fires and bullets from the battlefield, he had completed over 900 surgeries in four years.
With excellent medical skills, he not only saved a large number of lives with his own hands, but also served as the first director of Bethune International Peace Hospital and trained a large group of skilled medical staffs for China.
Dr. Kotnis is a great internationalism warrior.
Dr. Kotnis was fearless of difficulties and dangers. He gave up a comfortable life in his hometown, and volunteered to join the World Anti-Fascist War to support the just cause of the Chinese people in fighting against Japanese militarist aggression.
Dr. Kotnis was fearless of sacrifice. He repeatedly crossed the blockade, set up the hospital closest to the front line, and performed surgery under storms of fires and bullets.
In December 1942, Dr. Kotnis became seriously ill after a long period of hard work and passed away in Tang county, Hebei Province, sacrificing his young life in China.
Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear Friends,
This year marks the 80th anniversary of the passing of Dr. Kotnis and the 10th anniversary of the completion of Dr. Kotnis Memorial Hall in his hometown.
Dr. Kotnis was buried at Martyr Cemetery of North China Military Region in Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, resting in the land where he once battled.
Before coming to Solapur, my colleagues in the Chinese Embassy in India specially contacted the People's Government of Hebei Province and Bethune International Peace Hospital where Dr. Kotnis had worked. They took pictures of Kotnis' tomb. Chinese people still laid flowers in front of his tomb.
Today, I will gift Kotnis Memorial Hall with these pictures.
This is the picture of the full-length statue of Dr. Kotnis erected in front of the tomb.
Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear Friends,
This statue, which was completed in 1979, is shining bright as brand-new and represents the Chinese people's endless yearning and immeasurable reverence for Dr. Kotnis.
Dr Kotnis's eyes stared into the distance and future. We can feel his expectation for the progress and freedom of mankind, the maintenance of world peace and the promotion of China-India friendship.
What we can console Dr. Kotnis is that three years after his sacrifice, with the dauntless fight of the righteous forces of the world, the world Anti-Fascist War and the Chinese people's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression achieved great victories.
The purposes and principles of the UN Charter, to maintain international peace and to develop friendly relations among nations, have become the fundamental principles of international relations.
Despite facing various risks and challenges, peace and development still remain the theme of the time.
What we can comfort Dr. Kotnis is that five years after his sacrifice, with the relentless struggle of the Indian people, India got rid of colonial oppression and achieved national independence.
This year, India celebrated its 75th anniversary of independence with grand ceremonies. I wish to extend my congratulations to all the Indian friends and wish India greater success on the path of independent development and revitalization.
What we can solace Dr. Kotnis is that seven years after his sacrifice, the Chinese Communist Party led the Chinese people to overthrow the oppression of imperialism, feudalism and bureaucratic capitalism and founded the People’s Republic of China.
Over the past 70 years, the Chinese people unswerving explored our own path. Socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era and will embark on a new journey.
What we can reassure Dr. Kotnis is that after his sacrifice, the Chinese and Indian people have been committed to lasting friendship, and more and more people have joined the cause of developing China-India friendship.
China and India are important neighbors to each other. Both are ancient civilizations, largest developing countries and emerging economies. China and India have a combined population of one third of humanity.
We are ready to work with India to enhance political mutual trust, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, properly handle differences, and push China-India relations forward on the right track, so as to benefit our 2.8 billion people and promote world peace, stability and development.
Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear Friends,
Although Dr. Kotnis has left us for 80 years, his deeds will shine in history and will always be cherished and remembered.
A person's life is limited, but as long as his spirit is inherited by the people, he will always live in our hearts!
We should carry on Dr. Kotnis's legacy and continue to advance the cause of China-India friendship.
May the friendship between the Chinese and Indian peoples last forever!
Thank you!
