The embassy has invited a team of four leading chefs headed by leading Indian culinary expert Marut Sikka to organize the festival in Kazakhstan.

'They will be delighting gourmands and connoisseurs of authentic Indian delicacies during the festival,' an Indian embassy statement said.

Speaking to reporters before the opening ceremony, Sajjanhar underscored the importance of organizing cultural events by the Indian embassy to further strengthen the growing bilateral relations and people-to-people contacts between India and Kazakhstan.

In his inaugural address, Sajjanhar noted that since Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev visited India and was the chief guest at the Republic Day parade Jan 26, several ministerial and business delegations had travelled from India to Kazakhstan.

The embassy had also organized a major India Expo in Almaty in May 2009 at which more than 70 Indian companies participated actively. This apart, the embassy will be organizing several new events, including a Festival of India in Almaty and Astana, a Tourist Road Show in Almaty and a Conference of Indology.