________________ Natalia Guseva. The characters of the great Ramayana have come alive and become precious to thousands of adults and children in the Soviet Union. This has happened, thanks largely to Natalia Guseva, Research Associate of the Institute of Ethnography. It was she who ventured to produce a stage version of the immortal Indian epic, enabling it to surmount the barriers of language, time and geographical frontiers. For many years Guseva's Ramayana has been one of the most popular in the repertoire of the Central Children's Theatre in Moscow. It has been pointed out by many critics in the Soviet Union and India that Guseva has rendered a great service in that she has managed to convey to her audiences the spirit of India's epic work, its national and historic atmosphere, and has, at the same time, made it perfectly understandable even to the smallest spectator. Yet, even if Guseva had not produced the play, she would still have deserved the Nehru prize. The cause of strengthening Indo-Soviet friendship is the cause of her life. She is one of the most active members of the Soviet-Indian Society for Cultural Relations. She is also the author of a number of large works on India's history and culture. One can only be amazed at the energy of this charming woman. A scientist, writer and journalist, she has already done a great deal, but one can be certain, she will do even more, in her chosen field. Sindhu
