India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) foreign affairs department in-charge Vijay Chauthaiwale arrived in Nepal on Sunday to participate in the international conference on ‘Manaskhand: Inevitability of Integrity for Internalising Civilisational and Cultural Connectivity between Nepal and India’.

Chauthaiwale is scheduled to address the closing ceremony of the conference, being held in Dhangadhi, as the keynote speaker.

Upon his arrival, the BJP leader was welcomed by Sudurpaschim Chief Minister Kamal Bahadur Shah along with Minister for Physical Planning Prakash Deuba and Minister for Economic Affairs Naresh Shahi.

Indian Ambassador to Nepal Naveen Srivastava, Central Member of Nepali Congress and Member of the House of Representatives Arju Deuba will also be present during the event, according to the organisers.

The event is being organised by Antarrashtriya Sahyog Parishad (ARSP) and Nepal Bharat Sahyog Manch will see the participation of academicians and experts over the theme of the event from both countries predominantly.

This academic conference is being hosted by the Far Western University of Nepal in a knowledge partnership with S.S Jina University Almora (Uttrakhand), Kumaon University, Rishihood University Sonipat (Haryana) and Mahakali Sahitya Sangam Nepal.

The event consisted of academic session and brainstorming discussion between bureaucrats, diplomats and leaders of Indian and Nepal on internalising and conceptualising the ‘Manaskhand ‘as a pilgrimage corridor to strengthen cultural ties between Sudurpaschim Province of Nepal and the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand.