LUCKNOW, Sept. 22 -- Deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya will lead the Indian delegation taking Lord Buddha's sacred relics to Kalmykia in Russia for an exhibition to be organised by the Union ministry of culture from September 24 to October 1, according to an official communication by the Prime Minister Officer (PMO) to the state government.

Maurya will depart for Russia with the team on an Indian Air Force aircraft on September 23.

Maurya said that the international display of Kapilavastu relics would serve as a powerful tool of India's soft power and cultural diplomacy. Similar exhibitions have been held previously in Thailand and Vietnam, enhancing India's global stature. The upcoming exhibition in Russia is expected to conti...