Brazilian Students Perform Havan for PM Modi After Success of Operation Sindoor in Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro: As Prime Minister Narendra Modi prepares to visit Brazil for the BRICS Summit, Brazilian students and the Indian diaspora in Rio de Janeiro have come together to perform a havan, invoking Vedic mantras for the Prime Minister’s well-being and India’s prosperity.

The havan is part of the annual Indo-Brazil cultural meet, also known as Founder’s Day, where Hindu rituals including Rudra, Durga puja, mantra chanting, havan, and yoga sessions are performed. Every year, around 10 to 11 pandits travel for the celebrations, and people from Kerala and Maharashtra also join in the Indian activities. 

“I have been coming since 2019. Every year, we have the Indo-Brazil festival with full Hindu rituals and prayers. It is a time when the community comes together, celebrating our culture even while being so far away from India,” says Venkat Raman, an Indian from Coimbatore who regularly attends the event.

Brazilian students who have been learning yoga are also participating in the celebrations. Vyasa, a Brazilian student who has been practising yoga for eight years, shared:  

“It’s very challenging because of the cultural differences, but yoga gives me peace of mind. The pranayamas and everything are great for my health. I am looking forward to meeting the Prime Minister and discussing yoga with him,” he says.

Apart from the havan and yoga, a semi-classical dance performance dedicated to Operation Sindoor, the Indian Armed Forces, and PM Modi will also be showcased by the Indian community in Brazil. The performance symbolises courage, sacrifice, and national pride, and is being prepared especially to mark the Prime Minister’s visit.

The cultural festivities come as PM Modi is set to attend the 17th BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro on July 6-7, followed by a historic bilateral visit to Brasilia, the first by an Indian Prime Minister in nearly 60 years. During the visit, he will meet Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and engage with global leaders on the sidelines of the summit.

The 2025 summit, themed “Strengthening Global South Cooperation for More Inclusive and Sustainable Governance,” will see participation from India, Brazil, Russia, China, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, UAE, Ethiopia, Iran, and new member Indonesia. PM Modi is expected to discuss key issues around security, defence, trade, and energy cooperation as part of his ongoing five-nation tour, which has included visits to Ghana and Trinidad & Tobago.

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