Student participants in HSMN-HUA’s 1st Bhagavad Gita Pariksha were recognized on stage on August 23rd, 2025.
The Hindu Society of Minnesota, in collaboration with HUA, hosted its first Bhagavad Gītā Pariksha and Camp, engaging children, families, and community through workshops, competition, devotion, and celebration of timeless wisdom.
(Minneapolis, MN) – The Hindu Society of Minnesota (HSMN) hosted its first-ever Bhagavad Gītā Pariksha (BGP), in collaboration with Hindu University of America (HUA), bringing together children, parents, and community members in a celebration of knowledge, devotion, and learning.
The event began on August 21st with a two-day Gītā Workshop for children, led by Dr. Kalika Uttarkar, Director of Community Education at HUA. Twenty enthusiastic students participated in the workshop, where Dr. Uttarkar engaged them through interactive lessons, age-appropriate stories, and fun activities that brought the timeless wisdom of the Gītā to life.
Over three vibrant days, students, parents, and community members came together for a summer camp filled with art, music, Ayurveda, and yoga – woven together with inspiring lessons from the Bhagavad Gītā, led by HUA’s Director of Community Education, Dr. Kalika Uttarkar.
The workshop prepared students for the Pariksha, which included a 50 choice multiple choice exam and short answers, with 9 semi-finalists participating in an interview process conducted by distinguished judges Dr. Uttarkar, Shri Vishal Agarwal, and Shri Sankarshana Madhavarao.
The competition was attended by more than 75 family members, temple devotees, educators, and community supporters. The participants demonstrated their dedication, discipline, and understanding of the Gītā, while their families filled the temple hall with encouragement and pride.
After the morning session where students completed a written exam, the afternoon session was made up of interviews between semi-finalists and judges Dr. Kalika Uttarkar, Shri Vishal Agarwal, and Shri Sankarshana Madhav.
At the end of the event during the award ceremony, Indira Kurane (10 years old) finished in first place, Sumana Mangipudi (13 years) took second, Vasudevan Kandanchatha (13 years) came in third, and Sparsh Thakkar (12 years) earned fourth place.
This pioneering effort in Minnesota marks an important milestone in the growing movement of the Bhagavad Gītā Pariksha across the United States. By combining the rigor of the examination with the experiential joy of a workshop, the Minnesota community showcased how the study of the Gītā can both nurture intellectual growth and inspire spiritual reflection.
With this first Pariksha, HSMN has planted the seeds for future gatherings where even more children and families can benefit from the transformative power of studying and living the Bhagavad Gītā. The HSMN team, local volunteers, and community educators like Bhakti Modi, Vishwal Agarwal, Mamata Kakkad, Abhay Ladhe, Ankita Saha, Arvind Naik, Asavari Manvikar, Debbie Mukherjee, Deepti Singh, Ganga Durai, Jalpa Kotak, Mona Metaliya, Nitika Gupta, and Sarita Haridas made the event a success.
Students had a great time during the 1st BGP at HSNC connecting with the Gita, their culture, and other like minded youth.
HUA is committed to fostering the culture and traditions of Hindu Dharma in an atmosphere of academic excellence, through community education courses, and local events designed to energize the community. Dr. Uttarkar teaches a course on Hindu Dharmic Parenting as well as Growing up with the Gītā. If you think your children and community would enjoy such a Gītā Pariksha competition in your city, reach out to Director of Outreach, Ankur Patel (ankur.patel@hua.edu).