NEW YORK: The Prime minister Narendra Modi has, so far, been gifting foreign leaders with copies of Bhagvad Gita – but this time, he became the recipient. Thirty-three-year-old Tulsi Gabbard, congresswoman from Hawaii and the first Hindu in the US house of representatives, gave PM Modi her copy of the Hindu scripture – which had given solace to her through military combat tours and on which she was sworn into office.
“Nothing could have been more special and valuable to me than this Gita which I have had with me since a child, and which I took shelter of in the war zones of the Middle East, and upon which I placed my hand when I took the took Congressional oath of office,” said Gabbard on her facebook after her meeting with Modi.So far, the Indian PM has given a copy of Gita to the Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Chinese President Xi Jinping.Incidentally, Gabbard is also the first American samoan, and one of the first female combat fighters, to go to Washington as an elected lawmaker.
She became influenced by hinduism due to her mother, who turned to the Vaishnava sect when Gabbard was in her early teens. Apparently, Gabbard and Modi talked about Hinduism and the practice of yoga – common themes for both of them. The young congresswoman also promised to help towards Modi’s aim to get United Nations to declare an international Yoga day.
She said that the “greatest gift” was to give up something which is of value. “So my presenting of my personal Bhagavad Gita to the Prime Minister was my way of expressing just how deep my affection and love is for India, for the Prime Minister, and for the people of India that he represents,” said Gabbard, who was also present at Madison Square Gardens. Since she has never visited India, PM also invited her to visit the land of hinduism at an early date.