President Ram Nath Kovind has hailed the daughters of Haryana for bringing glory to the state and country at the international level.

While speaking after inaugurating an international seminar on Gita organised as part of the International Gita Mahotsav here on Saturday, Kovind quoted the examples of the Union External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Astronaut Kalpana Chawla, mountaineer Santosh Yadav, international wrestlers Sakshi Malik, Geeta, Babita and Vinesh Phogat, saying that all had proved their mettle in different fields.

Advertisement

He said, “Manushi Chhillar, who hails from Jhajjar district, has also kept the flag of India flying high at the global level in the Miss World event. She has accorded motherhood the status of best profession in the world. With this remark, our daughter has presented Haryana’s rich heritage and cultural values to the world. The success of Haryana’s daughters underscores Gita’s message on karmayoga.”

He also commended the initiatives taken by Manohar Lal Khattar-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Haryana to empower women.

The biggest step in this direction had been successful implementation of the national programme of ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’. The gender ratio of Haryana in 2011 was 830 girls for every 1,000 boys which has now reached 937 with the efforts and cooperation of both the government and the people, he added.

On the occasion, he said that Gita can offer a spiritual way out for the present-day youth who are caught in the vortex of insecurity, tension and confusion.

“The eternal message of Gita transcends the barriers of age and time and the boundaries of countries. All people should celebrate Gita Mahotsav every day in their mind as well as at their homes. This International Gita Mahotsav is a celebration of the moral, spiritual and cultural renaissance not only in Haryana and the country, but in the entire world,” Kovind said.

While underlining the significance of Bhagwat Gita in the 21st century, Chief Minister Khattar stressed the need to raise the standard of living of people so as to eradicate the menace of corruption from the society and added that this could only be possible with the help of Gita.

He said that “though we could keep a tab on the corruption with the help of law and justice but to eradicate it from all levels, the living standard of people would have to be raised. This could only be possible when the people imbibe in them the teaching of sacred Gita. In the fight for justice and injustice, the justice should always prevail”.

Khattar further said, “Gita is the gist of life and it was Lord Krishna who delivered the celestial message of Bhagwad Gita on the sacred land of Kurukshetra. The teaching of Lord Krishna is relevant not only for the country but for the whole world”.

Haryana Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki said that with a view to fully implement the concept of live and let live to ensure peace and prosperity in the world, there was a need to spread the message of Gita.

He said the digital and technology is the requirement in the 21st Century but if this technology is not implemented in accordance with the teachings of  Gita, it could prove to be dangerous for the mankind.

David Frawley from American Institute of Vedic Studies said that the  teaching of Gita is being followed worldwide by scholars, litterateurs and people from all walks of life. He said that Gita teaches us that the entire world is within us.

Soon after coming to power, Khattar-led BJP in Haryana had decided to celebrate Gita Jayanti at the international level.

This year, the International Gita Mahotsav is being celebrated from 17 November to 3 December in Kurukshetra.