Tulsi Gabbard promises PM Narendra Modi to lead Congress resolution in support of International Yoga Day

WASHINGTON: The first-ever Hindu-American Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard has promised Prime Minister Narendra Modi to lead an effort towards a Congressional resolution in support of International Yoga Day proposed by him.

Gabbard, in a statement, said she made a commitment to Modi to take the lead in Congress to pass a resolution in support of the prime minister's appeal to the UN to designate an International Yoga Day.

According to a media statement, both agreed that, "Yoga is widely misunderstood as a system of physical exercise rather than a lifestyle consciousness and world view that can help improve health, provide insight for addressing environmental challenges, facilitate world peace, and much more".

Gabbard said she and Modi agreed that, "The West would be surprised by the vast knowledge and solutions the ancient Vedic texts have to offer the modern world".

Gabbard met Modi in New York. "It was a great privilege to meet with Prime Minister Modi and personally welcome him on his historic visit to America. The Prime Minister's visit to the US is a great opportunity to further develop the vital friendship and cooperation between the world's largest and oldest democracies," she said.

"We had a wide-ranging discussion on several issues our countries have in common, including how America and India can work together to help combat the global threat posed by Islamic extremism," Gabbard said.

Gabbard gave Modi her personal copy of the Bhagavad-Gita, which she has had since she was a child and was "a source of courage and comfort" during her two tours of duty in the Middle East as a soldier, and which she used to take her Congressional Oath of Office.

Gabbard also presented Modi with a ginger flower garland from her home state of Hawaii, which Modi pointed out was a tradition in India as well.

During their meeting, the two spoke of the priorities shared by India and the US, including defeating the threat posed by ISIS and other Islamic extremists, cooperating to address environmental concerns, and maximising economic opportunities.