Russian city Kazan invites Anantapur mayor

Anantapur: Mayor of Kazan city in Russia has invited Anantapur mayor Mohamad Waseem Saleem to Kazan as part of a broader initiative to strengthen ties among cities within the BRICS+ Association of Cities and Municipalities.

Around 50 mayors of this association have been invited to Kazan, including four others from Indian cities of Calicut, Thrissur, Jaipur and Nagercoil.

The selection of Anantapur mayor is particularly significant, due to its historical connection with Russia.

Afanasy Nikitin, the first Russian traveller, visited the Anantapur area in the early 16th Century. Anantapur had then been part of the Vijayanagara Empire. “That historical visit marks the beginning of a long-standing relationship between our regions,” the invitation extended to mayor Waseem said.

The Anantapur mayor told DC that this historical link makes Anantapur an important participant in the Founding Meeting of the Association in Kazan. Waseem said at the Kazan meeting, he will inform the other mayors about Anantapur, which had been part of the historic Vijayanagara Empire spread across major parts of south India.

The mayor maintained that the ancient traditions are still being continued by present rulers in the fields of irrigation and agriculture.