Jamia Millia Islamia honours His Holiness the Dalai Lama
with Doctorate degree[Wednesday,
24 November 2010, 9:05 a.m.]

His Holiness the Dalai Lama is presented with the honorary degree of Doctor of Letters by Vice-Chancellor Najeeb Jung (L) and Indian Human Resource Development Minister Kabil Sibal at the annual convocation of Jamia Millia Islamia University in New Delhi on 23 November 2010/Photo: Tenzin Choejor/OHHDL

New Delhi: His Holiness the Dalai Lama
was conferred the honorary degree of Doctor of Letters (Honoris Causa)
by Jamia Millia Islamia, a prestigious national university at its annual
convocation ceremony held on the lawns of Dr M A Ansari auditorium on
the university campus on Tuesday.The chief guest on the
occasion, Mr Kapil Sibal, Union Minister of Human Resource Development
and Mr Najeeb Jung, Vice-Chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia conferred
the degree on His Holiness at a function attended by thousands of
graduating students, faculty staff, and other eminent personalities. The
citation reads, “Jamia Millia Islamia honors His Holiness the Dalai
Lama of Tibet, one of the most respected figures and teachers of our
times, who stands for rationality, humanism, non-violence, peace and
universal benevolence, with the degree of Doctor of Letters.”The
citation further notes that His Holiness’ “message of compassion,
altruism and peace has made him a statesman of our troubled times,” and
adds that His Holiness “has led the Tibetan refugees in a remarkable
success story where even after more than 50 years in exile, the
[Tibetan] community has been able to retain its unique identity and
remain welcome by their hosts.”In his remarks, His Holiness said
he felt extremely honored to receive a Doctorate degree from a
well-known Muslim university in India adding one of his two commitments
is to promote religious harmony among different religious traditions.
His Holiness said Islam is one the most important world religious
traditions that provides hope and inspiration to millions of its
followers.When the 9/11 incident happened in New York, he said
he stood firmly in defence of Islam because he believed it was
“absolutely wrong” to view all Muslims through the acts of a few
mischievous people. “And a few mischievous people creating trouble is
always there in any religious tradition whether Muslim, Hindu, or even
Buddhists,” His Holiness said.In Lhasa, a small Muslim community
who first came to Tibet as traders co-existed peacefully with the
dominant Tibetan Buddhist community for centuries, His Holiness said.
“There is no record of Muslims fighting with Tibetans in Lhasa.” Mr
Najeeb Jung, Vice-Chancellor of the university in his annual
convocation address called His Holiness “the true inheritor in the
contemporary world of the message of peace and non-violence pioneered by
Mahatma Gandhi.”

His Holiness the Dalai Lama listening to a performance at the Jamia Millia Islamia University’s annual convocation in New Delhi on 23 November 2010/Photo:Tenzin Choejor/OHHDL

Mr Jung said His Holiness through his steadfast
commitment to the power of non-violent persuasion has restored the
world’s faith in the relevance of moral critique. By his presence alone,
Mr Jung said, His Holiness has made India a better place.“The
presence of His Holiness reminds us that India is the birthplace of many
great faiths and home to all of them. Great Buddhist teachers like
Nagarjuna journeyed to Tibet in the 8th century to preach Buddhism and
it is wholly appropriate that His Holiness should return to India to
remind India of its Buddhist heritage and the rich diversity of its
religious traditions,” Mr Jung said. Addressing the graduating
students, the Vice-Chancellor said, “It is a special moment that you
step out in the world blessed by true Holiness, by an individual who
embodies the best in humanism within a modern mind.” Union
Minister Mr Sibal in his address said in keeping with its secular
traditions, Jamia Millia Islamia have chosen to honour His Holiness, a
“noble soul who is the personification of the virtue of equanimity in
pain and pleasure, being steadfast when changes around have been large
and intense.”Prince Salman Bin Abdul Aziz of Saudi Arabia,
Palestinian-American literary theorist and intellectual Edward Said,
eminent Urdu writer Ismat Chugtai, and renowned scholar of classical
Indian dance, art and architecture Dr Kapila Vatsyana are some of the
past recipients of the honorary degree of Doctor of Letters. A
total of 3,529 degrees and diplomas was awarded to students who have
successfully completed post-graduation, graduation and diploma from
different faculties, departments and centers of the university.Established
in 1920, Jamia Millia Islamia is historically counted as among the most
important national institutions in India today. It is a pluralistic
university closely linked to Muslim contributions in India’s struggle
for nationhood.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama addresses after receiving the honorary Doctor of Letters degree from the prestigious Jamia Millia Islamia University on 23 November 2010/Tenzin Choejor/OHHDL