‘Sanskriti abroad’: Japanese boy touches Yogi Adityanath’s feet, recites shloka during Japan visit

LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath’s interaction with children of Indian origin in Japan has gone viral after a young boy was seen touching his feet and reciting a Sanskrit shloka during a meet in Yamanashi on Thursday. The video shows the boy greeting the chief minister with a “namaste” before receiving a chocolate from him. Moments later, the child bends to touch Yogi’s feet and begins reciting a shloka, with the chief minister joining in the recitation. The heartwarming interaction drew cheers from onlookers and was widely shared on social media, garnering reactions such as “This little one is pure cuteness,” “Amazing,” and simply “Sweet.”CM Yogi also shared a clip on X with the caption: “The sacred pulse of traditions… The sacred land of the rising sun, illuminated by the golden radiance of eternal Sanatan culture.” The video has sparked widespread admiration online for the children’s gesture and their embrace of Indian traditions while abroad.A woman accompanying the children presented CM Yogi with a small glass statue as a token of appreciation.The visit, scheduled from February 23-26, is CM Yogi’s first foreign tour since Myanmar in 2017. He spent February 24 in Singapore for official engagements and February 25-26 in Japan, including the cultural interaction in Yamanashi.During his official visit to Singapore from February 22 to 24, CM Yogi promoted Uttar Pradesh as a secure and fast-growing destination for global investment. He announced that the state received investment proposals worth Rs 1 lakh crore, with Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) worth ₹60,000 crore already finalized, marking a major step toward making Uttar Pradesh a $1 trillion economy. He highlighted the state’s growth over the past nine years, noting that Uttar Pradesh’s Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) increased from ₹13 lakh crore to Rs 36 lakh crore, contributing 9.5% to India’s GDP. The Chief Minister emphasized infrastructure readiness, skilled manpower, and connectivity via projects like the dedicated freight corridor, inviting global investors to partner in the state’s growth story. The trip combined cultural engagement with economic diplomacy, reflecting CM Yogi’s efforts to strengthen India’s cultural presence abroad while showcasing Uttar Pradesh as a key investment hub.(With agency inputs)