Chandigarh, Oct 22 : In a special programme organised by the Haryana government, 100 copies of the Shrimad Bhagavad Gita (Japanese edition) were presented to the Consulate General of India in Osaka, Chandru Appar.

The copies were formally handed over by Assistant Professor at Osaka University, Vikas Pandey, and Nikita, who is currently residing in Tokyo.

On this occasion, the Haryana government's Joint Director of the Department of Foreign Cooperation, Heena Bindlish, Advisor to the Chief Minister in the Department of Foreign Cooperation, Pawan Choudhary, honorary secretary of KDB, Upender Singhal, GM of the HSIIDC, and Sanjay Garg, also joined the event via video conference.

During the programme, detailed discussions were held on spreading the eternal message of the Gita across Japan and other countries.

CGI Osaka, Appar, expressed interest in organising an online Gita learning course for Japanese students. It is noteworthy that the International Gita Mahotsav will be celebrated in Kurukshetra, the birthplace of the Bhagavad Gita, from November 15 to December 5.

During this period, cultural and spiritual programmes will be organised in 51 countries.

On this occasion, the Haryana delegation also requested CGI Osaka to ensure the participation of Japanese representatives in the International Gita Mahotsav and the upcoming Surajkund Mela under the cultural exchange programmes between the two nations.

The International Gita Mahotsav will showcase a divine confluence of spirituality, culture, and art.

The Gita Mahotsav has achieved immense success and popularity since 2016. Lakhs of people from India and abroad attend the Bhagavad Gita Mahotsav.

Last year, approximately 45 to 50 lakh people participated, and a similar turnout is expected this year.

For the first time in 2019, the International Gita Mahotsav was held in Mauritius and London, followed by celebrations in Canada in September 2022, Australia in April 2023, and Sri Lanka and England in 2024.

/IANS