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Bhagavad Gītā Pariksha contest takes place in North Carolina
The competition was structured to engage students deeply with the Bhagavad Gita.
The winners of the 2nd Annual Bhagavad Gita Pariksha Context at the Hindu Society of North Carolina. / The Hindu University of America
The Hindu University of America hosted the second annual Bhagavad Gita Pariksha (BGP) on Aug.24, at the Hindu Society of North Carolina.
The event, designed to test and celebrate Hindu American students' knowledge of the Bhagavad Gita, drew 51 student competitors from the state, primarily from the Triangle area.
The competition, which included elementary, junior, and senior categories, saw participants demonstrating their understanding and application of the sacred text. In the Elementary Section, Srikeerthi Tirumalapeddinti (age 7) and Renusri Palemkota (age 9) tied for first place, with Riaan Patel (age 9) taking third place.
The junior section's top honor went to Jayanth Avula (age 13), followed by his twin brother Jathin Avula (age 13) in second place, and Akshaj Vemuri (age 12) in third. In the senior section, Maithili Kulkarni (age 20) claimed first place, while Amishi Gupta (age 14) and Ayush Tripathi (age 14) secured second and third places, respectively.
Participants taking the written part of the Bhagavad Gita Pariksha / The Hindu University of AmericaOver 200 community members attended the event which culminated in a $10,000 prize pool being distributed among the winners. Prizes and participatory certificates were awarded by Dr. Raj Polavaram and Dr. Kishor Trivedi during the closing ceremony.
"We hope this pilot program catches on and more Hindu temples in North America come forward to create this competition in their communities in partnership with HUA," said Kalyan Viswanathan, president of Hindu University of America (HUA). "We aspire to enable young Hindus to grow up with the Bhagavad Gītā as a companion resource for the rest of their lives."
The competition was structured to engage students deeply with the text. The Elementary Section required participants to chant and explain five selected shlokas, while the Junior and Senior Sections included a written exam followed by an interview for the top five scorers in each category. The event also featured a unique game of Gītā Shloka Antakshari and a group recitation of Adhyayas 16 and 17 during the afternoon session.
Dr. Kalika Uttarkar, a faculty member at HUA and one of the judges, emphasized the importance of applying the teachings of the Gita in everyday life. "We are trying to inculcate into the students that knowledge without application is redundant. The philosophy of the Gita needs behavioral application. This competition helps parents open the doors of culture to their children," she explained.
Shri Aravind Swami, VP of Operations gives a presentation about Hindu University of America to a large audience. / The Hindu University of America
The event was organized with the support of the Sri Venkateswara Temple of NC, Radio Nyra, and Bharat FM, who co-sponsored and helped raise funds for the competition. HSNC president Manoj Pandya noted, “There are lots of tests for chanting, but we wanted to emphasize the meaning as well.”
Dr. Raj Polavaram, chair of Friends of Hindu University of America, NC Chapter, echoed this sentiment, highlighting the goal of making the Bhagavad Gītā more accessible and enjoyable for the younger generation.
“People these days glamorize temporary, transient things, but what if we make the good things like the Gītā more fun? We started this initiative last year and are extremely pleased with the response this year. We look forward to creating regional competitions and making it a national competition next year!”
The Bhagavad Gītā Pariksha is an initiative by Hindu University of America to promote Hindu cultural education among young people in the diaspora. The university is dedicated to providing academic excellence in Hindu thought and traditions and will be offering a course on Hindu Dharmic Parenting, taught by Dr. Uttarkar, starting in October.
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