Dharamshala: Former Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao Menon greeted Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama on his 85th birthday in a video message broadcasted earlier this morning at the official celebration organised by the CTA.
The former Foreign Secretary also called for the highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna to be conferred on His Holiness the Dalai Lama in recognition of his enduring faith in the fundamental freedoms enshrined in the Indian constitution, His advancement of democracy and devotion to world peace.
Read the full statement here:
“The 85th birthday of His Holiness the Dalai Lama is a very special and auspicious occasion for all of us. We deeply revere his humaneness, the awesome strength of his spirituality, the affirmed goodness that he embodies for people around the world. For us, his members of the global family, he embodies the message of the Gautama, the Buddha and of Mahatma Gandhi, that a life well-lived is the life that is committed to the values of peace, compassion, concern and empathy for the suffering and the downtrodden, respect for diversity and the passion for truth and nonviolent action.
At a time when the world is being swept by the forces of hypernationalism, the fracturing of democracies, the rise of authoritarianism, the tyranny of the majority, the anthropological threat of a global pandemic, His Holiness has upheld our faith in justice, kindness, tolerance, equality and the fellowship of all humanity, overcoming the high barriers and walls of divisiveness and the rivalries of power politics. From my early childhood, I have learnt much from the teachings of His Holiness, and I have been privileged to have met and interacted with him. He is undoubtedly, one of the greatest, most charismatic, most inspirational and most historic figures of our time. His spontaneous laughter, the joy and the humanistic sensitivity that he exudes, the words of wisdom that he always speaks leave a powerful impactful, a lasting impression on us all.
This is a belief that is shared by millions of his followers around the world, and through all the trials and the tribulations of life, His Holiness teaches us also the virtue of laughter, of being optimistic, of healing our sorrows in the golden sunshine of smiles. He has taught us the virtues of hope and optimism.
His Holiness is an honoured member of our Indian family and we welcomed him as a much-esteemed guest to our country 61 years ago, at a time of great pain, suffering, and sorrow in his homeland of Tibet and among the Tibetan people. Through the years he has symbolised the indomitable spirit of his homeland, the rich beauty of its culture, its strong religious heritage together with the courage, the fortitude and the forbearance of his brave people.
The ties between India and Tibet are etched across history, our peoples have interacted closely over millennia, our friendship is immortal, the divine message of Lord Budhha has bound our hearts and minds together through the centuries. Today more than ever before the message of His Holiness about the need for peace within ourselves and in peace in our region and the world, acquire fundamental importance. His Holiness has always spoken out candidly against unbridled power and hegemony, aggression and violence, and emphasised the need for peaceful resolution of differences through civilised dialogue in a spirit of equality and mutual benefit. He has rightly said that real peace is a manifestation of true compassion for all humanity.
We must heed his words constantly both in our thoughts and in our actions, For us, Indians, he is a truly beloved and precious presence, and I know that Mother India holds him very, very close and dear in her heart. I truly believe as a patriotic Indian who is sincerely grateful for all the gifts he has given us, of tolerance, compassion, of harmony, of the love of peace. His respect for democracy and the advancement of democracy and his enduring faith in the fundamental freedoms enshrined in the Indian constitution and his devotion to world peace that His Holiness should receive the Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian honour, in our land. He is as much a jewel of India as he is of his homeland of Tibet. We are truly blessed to have him in our midst.
I, therefore, send my warmest and most affectionate birthday greetings to His Holiness on this auspicious occasion of His 85th birthday and I pray to the almighty for his good health and continued good health and wellbeing in the years ahead. May the blessings of the triple gem be on him always.”