Chandigarh, June 20 -- The International Gita Mahotsav (IGM) 2026 began in Tokyo on Friday with the presentation of copies of the Shrimad Bhagavad Gita to the members of Japan's Parliament, leading political figures, scholars, and supporters of India-Japan friendship.

The five-day-long festival, which will conclude on June 23, has emerged as an effective instrument of India's cultural and spiritual diplomacy, the Haryana government said. It pointed out that by promoting world peace, harmony, moral values, and the spirit of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (the world is one family), the event plays a vital role in uniting humanity as one global family.

During the festival's inauguration on Friday, a copy of the Gita was presented to Yasutoshi Nishi...