Dehradun: A ten feet Buddha statue for world peace was erected close to the Dekyiling settlement in Dehradun by the Doon Buddhist Committee to honour the Galwan Valley martyrs and their families. The unveiling ceremony was held on Tuesday, 8 November, in the presence of the Mayor of Dehradun, Shri Sunil Uniyal Gama, and local Indian and Tibetan dignitaries, including representatives of the monastic institutions in Dehradun. On the same day, the gathering commemorated the occasion of the 22nd Uttarakhand Founding Day since the state was formed on 9 November 2000.
A special message on the ocassion from His Holiness the Dalai Lama was read out in which he congratulated the initiative of the committee, offered prayers for the swift rebirth of the martyrs, and thirdly, His Holiness appealed to the committee to continue the promotion of Buddha’s teaching through constructive discussions, debates, and social welfare activities. Similar messages from leaders of Central and state governments and CTA’s Religion Department were also read out.
The committee extends profound gratitude for the support from all sections, particularly the donors, for facilitating the completion of the project.
The Doon Buddhist Committee was formed in 2015 and obtained legal registration in 2018. The principal objective of the committee is to practically promote the teachings of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
-Reported by TSO, Dehradun