Spirit of Dr Kotnis highlighted at Qin's meeting with relatives and Indian youths

For many people in India and China, the international bridge built by Dr Kotnis with humanitarian services will last forever.

"His life story is immortal and will go down in history to the end of the world," Sumangala Borkar, Kotnis' niece and a practicing physician, told visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang in the state of Goa in India.

Legendary Goan physician Dr Dwarkanath Kotnis arrived in China in 1938 helping China in World War II. Also known as Ke Dihua in Chinese, he had worked relentlessly for the Chinese army, sometimes for more than 70 hours at a stretch and died unexpectedly in China on Dec 8, 1942. On his death, late Chinese leader Mao Zedong had said that they had lost their life savior and friend.

While many years have passed, Kotnis' unparalleled sacrifice cannot be forgotten, Borkar said. Instead it should become a firm bond in a lasting friendship between the world's two most populous countries.

"There should be more and more exchanges of business, education, culture, and science. Together the two countries can make a strong world power and a symbol of everlasting bridge of international peace," added Borkar, who met Qin for the first time in her life.

She was glad about the minister's efforts to promote China-India ties and for evoking the spirit of Dr Kotnis.

People desire to develop international friendship and peace between the countries, said Rajan Borkar, husband of Sumangala.

Qin was in Goa on May 4 to attend the two-day Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Foreign Ministers' Meeting. After a bilateral meeting with Indian External Affair Minister S Jaishankar on the sidelines of SCO meeting in Goa, Qin met relatives of Kotnis.

Qin called Kotnis a great friend of the Chinese people and an outstanding anti-fascist fighter, who devoted both his youth and life to the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45).

The spirit of Kotnis is emblematic of humanitarianism, of saving lives, of heroism, of struggle and sacrifice, of internationalism, and of championing peace and friendship with a shared future, Qin added.

While meeting Indian youths, Qin said that young people are the main force for the development of both countries, noting that May 4 marks Youth Day in China. The youth of both countries should do their part to promote bilateral cultural exchanges so that the China-India friendship can be passed down from generation to generation, he added.

"We should carry forward the spirit of Dr Kotnis, firmly uphold peace and friendship between China and India, carry forward people-to-people friendship, constantly increase communication and exchanges between the 1.4 billion Chinese and 1.4 billion Indian people," Qin stated in a press release after the meeting.

Rajendra Jadhav, chairman of the Dr Kotnis Memorial Committee in Mumbai, said that Chinese officials have invited people connected with work of Dr Kotnis across India, indicating China still considers Dr Kotnis as a symbol of friendship with India.

He told China Daily that Qin's visit shows that "China has not forgotten Dr Kotnis even after more than eight decades since he had passed away." Jadhav described it as a very touching moment.

"It's a tribute to China's sincere love, affection, reverence and gratitude for Dr Kotnis, who wasn't just a dedicated, passionate and competent doctor … He was also an exemplary internationalist," Jadhav said, adding that such deeds and memories will serve to strengthen Sino-Indian ties in years to come.

Qin also visited a photo exhibition on Kotnis alongside relatives of the late doctor.

Swaran Singh, a professor of diplomacy and disarmament at Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi, noted that during his hectic South Asia tour, Qin took time to celebrate China's Youth Day while in Goa by meeting with youth delegates and the family of Dr Kotnis, who was of Goan origin.

Dr Kotnis is regarded as a symbol of friendship between India and China, Singh added, noting that Qin also called for peaceful and friendly coexistence between the neighboring countries.