PM's US Visit: Narendra Modi gets Bhagavad Gita as gift from Tulsi Gabbard

NEW YORK: Influential lawmaker Tulsi Gabbard, the only Hindu member of the US Congress, has met Prime Minister Narendra Modi here and presented her personal copy of Bhagavad Gita to him, saying it was a gesture to express her love for India.

Gabbard, a 33-year-old US Democrat Congresswoman from Hawaii, called on the Prime Minister at his hotel here.

She presented to the Prime Minister a copy of Gita, which she had placed in her hand when she took oath while being sworn in to the US House of Representative.

"Gita I gave u I had since child, took shelter of in Mid East war zone duty, took Congressional Oath on," she tweeted after her meeting with Modi.

"Today I was very honoured to have the opportunity to meet with Prime Minister Modi, where I presented him with a gift of my personal copy of the Bhagavad Gita," she wrote on her Facebook page.

"Nothing could have been more special and valuable to me than this Gita which I have had with me since a child," she added.

"It is said that the greatest gift you can give someone is that which is of the greatest value to you, because it is a personal sacrifice to give up something which is very dear to you. 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 who he represents," she added.

Gabbard was also present at the Madison Square reception hosted by Indian-Americans for Modi.

"It was great to hear his message of peace and friendship at his address to an energised crowd at New York's renowned Madison Square Garden," she said after Modi's address to NRIs.