Chitradurga, Karnataka: On 10 August 2025, a grand ceremony was organised in Chitradurga, South India, to express gratitude to the Government of India and the late former Chief Minister of Karnataka, S. Nijalingappa. The event was held in conjunction with the commemoration of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s birth anniversary and the Year of Compassion. It was jointly organised by the Chief Representative’s Office (South Zone) in Bengaluru, the Mundgod Doeguling Settlement Office, the SSS M Guru Trust, and the Karnataka Indo-Tibetan Friendship Society, alongside various religious programmes.

The Central Tibetan Administration was represented by the Representative of the Bureau of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in New Delhi, Jigme Yungney, who attended as the Chief Guest. The ceremony was also attended by Karnataka State Ministers: Shri M.B. Patil (Honourable Minister for Large and Medium Industries and Infrastructure Development), Shri K.H. Muniyappa (Honourable Minister for Food, Civil Supplies, and Consumer Affairs), Shri D. Sudhakar (Honourable Minister for Planning and Statistics), and Shri Santhosh Lad (Honourable Minister for Labour). Additionally, seven prominent religious leaders, several former state officials, over 500 monks, nuns, residents from the Mundgod Doeguling settlement, and local residents participated in the event.

The morning ceremony commenced with the recitation of the Heart Sutra, the Gyunchak Sumpa (Three Daily Prayers), and prayers for the long life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Following this, the ministers and dignitaries delivered speeches on His Holiness’s birth anniversary and the Year of Compassion. Furthermore, a special message from His Holiness the Dalai Lama was read out in the local Kannada language, bringing the morning session to a successful conclusion.

The late Chief Minister, S. Nijalingappa, generously provided vast tracts of land for the Tibetan settlements in South India. In recognition of this, His Holiness the Dalai Lama has frequently spoken of the late Chief Minister’s immense kindness, emphasising the importance of always remembering his benevolence and dedicating prayers to him.

To honour his memory, over 500 monks, nuns, and residents from the monasteries and areas under the Mundgod Doeguling jurisdiction gathered to recite prayers of dedication with deep respect and gratitude. During the ceremony, the Chief Representative of the South Zone, Jigme Tsultrim, along with the Settlement Officers, expressed profound gratitude to the Government of India and the late Chief Minister on behalf of all Tibetan people, particularly those residing in Karnataka.

-Report Filed by TSO, Mungod