7^th July, 2023, New Delhi: The 88^th birth anniversary of His Holiness the 14^th Dalai Lama was celebrated around the world by Tibetans and friends, followers and well-wishers of His Holiness on 6^th July, 2023. In India, joining their Tibetan brothers and sisters, Indian Tibet Support Groups also celebrated the auspicious occasion with the life and message of His Holiness the 14^th Dalai Lama.

India Tibet Friendship Society (ITFS) and its regional chapters celebrated the 88^th birthday of His Holiness the Dalai Lama by organising various activities and programmes in different parts of the country. In Bihar’s capital Patna, a prayer meeting was organised by ITFS in the office of Bihar Sarvodaya Mandal, Patna under the Chairmanship of Chandra Bhushan, President of Bihar Sarvodaya Mandal. The members of ITFS Patna were present at the prayer meeting. The gathering prayed for the long life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. In Bihar’s Bhagalpur, the occasion was celebrated with great enthusiasm at Ashok Bhavan Auditorium, by cutting a cake with the attendance of children, women and enlightened people. In Bihar’s Muzaffarpur, His Holiness’s 88th birthday was celebrated with pomp and gaiety at the Law College by the Indo-Tibetan Friendship Association, Bihar State unit. The programme was presided over by Dr. Harendra Kumar, ITFS Bihar President. Everyone garlanded His Holiness’s portrait wishing him a long life. Dr. Upadhyay, Secretary Bihar Unit distributed Manorama issue of His Holiness’s articles. ITFS National Vice President, Surendra Kumar said that only the Dalai Lama has the right to choose his reincarnation and not China. Everyone wished His Holiness a long life. ITFS Nawada also celebrated the occasion.

The 88th birth anniversary of His Holiness the Dalai Lama was celebrated with great enthusiasm in Jodhpur under ITFS Jodhpur District Unit. All Jodhpur members wished for the long life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. On this occasion, ITFS Mahila Morcha Vice President Shama Purohit, Jodhpur District Public Prosecutor Shriman Lada Ram ji Vishnoi, Chandrashekhar ji Sharma, Naresh Geva, Nem Singh ji Rathore, Advocate Girdhari Lal ji Kansara, Praveen Deval, Ranjit Singh Rathore, Chiranjilal ji Purohit and others were present.

In Madhya Pradesh’s Rewa, ITFS along with Samajwadi Karyakartas Group, Nari Chetna Manch and Vindhyachal Jan Andolan on the occasion held a prayer meeting for the long and healthy life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. ITFS National Vice President Ajay Khare, social worker Brijvasi Prasad Tiwari, Yogesh Verma, Imran Khan, Gafoor Khan and Nari Chetna Manch’s leader Shahrunnisha actively participated in the programme.

In Maharashtra, ITFS members celebrated the 88th birthday of His Holiness the Dalai Lama at Rana Bhawan Auditorium in Bhandara with great enthusiasm by offering interfaith prayers. Pramod Kumar Anerao, a famous litterateur and thinker from Maharashtra, presided over the function. Dr. Dhammadeep, a Buddhist devotee on the stage, P.C. Mishra, representative of Sikh religion Ruby Chadha, representative of Christian religion Joseph Thakur and representative of Muslim religion Munavvarali and ex-chairman of Bhandara Municipal Council Mahendra Gadkari, director of Bhandara District Central Co-operative Bank Prem Sagar Ganveer. Representatives of all religions offered prayers and good wishes for His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s long life and good health. This birthday celebration was proposed by Amrit Bansod, ITFS Maharashtra President and coordinated by Gulshan Gajbhiye, coordinator of Bhandara unit. ITFS members in Chandrapur also celebrated the occasion.

Bharat Tibbat Sahyog Manch (BTSM) celebrated the 88^th birth anniversary of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan Buddhist leader who advocates for the message of non-violence, humanity and love to the world with great enthusiasm. In Rajasthan, a programme was organised by BTSM members of Youth and Women’s Department in Bhilwara. On this occasion, prayers were offered for the good health and long life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and by cutting a cake in front of the picture of the Dalai Lama. In Assam, BTSM President Kailash Sharma along with several prominent citizens and officials of the group celebrated the day at Jorpukhuri Beach, Guwahati. The programme was formally inaugurated by Arup Borthakur, renowned dramatist and advisor to BTSM, Assam province. All wished His Holiness the Dalai Lama a very happy birthday and a good healthy life. Bharat Tibbat Sahyog Manch also celebrated the occasion in Ghaziabad, Meerut, Shamli, Muzaffarnagar, Saharanpur, Hapur and Gautam Budh Nagar in Uttar Pradesh.

Bharat Tibbat Samanvay Sangh (BTSS) celebrated His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s birthday among their members and also with Tibetan brothers and sisters in Tibetan settlements in India. In Delhi, the BTSS members led by National General Secretary Women’s Wing Smt. Sandhya Singh joined the celebration at Samyeling Tibetan Settlement, Majnukatilla. Later, she also organised a programme at Dwarka where along with her team, children from her NGO Durga Saptashakti Foundation celebrated the occasion. BTSS National President Prof. Prayag Dutt Juyal was felicitated in the Tibetan settlement of Dehradun on the occasion. BTSS National Secretary Kauntey Jaiswal and Basant ji joined the birthday programme at Mainpat Tibetan Settlement. This is the settlement which has been adopted by Kauntey Jaiswal.

In Haryana, the birthday of His Holiness the Dalai Lama was celebrated by cutting a cake and visiting the ancient Ashoka Buddhist stupa on the Brahmasarovar of Kurukshetra by BTSS Haryana Province Women’s Department highlighting the life of the Dalai Lama and his teachings were discussed. All the members present there visited the Buddhist monument and Kailash Mansarovar Mukti Mahasankalp was also conducted. Province patron Dr. Shakuntala Sharma, National General Secretary Dr. Rukmesh Chauhan, Province General Secretary were present on the occasion. In Varanasi, the birthday of His Holiness the Dalai Lama was celebrated at the Central Tibetan Institute of Higher Education, Sarnath, Varanasi. In this, National General Secretary Arvind Keshari ji and National Minister Vivek Soni ji and Kashi Prant President Rajiv Jha ji participated in the programme as special guests.

Bharat Tibbat Sangh (BTS) celebrated the occasion at Alwar, Rajasthan. The programme was organised at the Vivekananda Memorial. During this, the entire team of BTS Alwar unit also got the pious benefit of visiting the memorial of respected Swami Vivekananda, while the whole team was honoured by Bharat Vikas Parishad by giving a book based on the biography of Swami Vivekananda.

Tree plantation programme was organised to mark His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s birthday by the Jammu & Kashmir unit of Bharat Tibet Sangh. BTS also celebrated the day in Ranchi, Jharkhand and Guwahati, Assam.

Bharat Tibbat Samvad Manch celebrated the auspicious occasion at the pilgrimage place of Kushinagar in Uttar Pradesh.

The Core Group for Tibetan Cause – India National Convener R. K. Khrimey joined the 88^th birth anniversary of His Holiness the 14^th Dalai Lama in West Kameng District, Arunachal Pradesh. A mass plantation drive was organised at Govt College, Bomdila by Bomdila Welfare Society in collaboration with Govt College, Bomdila and Forest Department. Approximately, 300 saplings have been planted during the drive joined by R. K. Khrimey, former minister and Patron, Bomdila Welfare Society, Colonel Bhaskar Pandey of 2^nd Arunchal Scouts, Dr. Tashi Phuntso, Principal of the College, L. T. Damo, General Secretary, Bomdila Welfare Society; Rinchin Rongradu, Assistant General Secretary, Student Union of the College, faculty members and students.

Along with His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s birth anniversary, late Dr. Syama Prasad Mukherjee’s birth anniversary was also celebrated in Delhi. A seminar was organised at the Officers’ Club, Airport Authority of India, Safdarjung, in which many prominent scholars from India and Tibet attended. Honorable Indresh Kumar was the chief guest at the programme. Former Chief Minister of Arunachal Prem Khandu Thungon, Smt. Rinchen Lhamo, Dr. Shahid Akhtar, Mrs. Shalini Ali, Vijay Jolly, Bhupendra Kansal, Acharya Yeshi and Parvinder Tiwari, Yeshi Tashi, and Sarla Singh were present. India Tibet Coordination Office Acting Coordinator Tashi Dekyi also attended the programme. The organiser of the programme was Rishi Walia, National Secretary, Himalaya Pariwar and Regional Convener, Core Group for Tibetan Cause – India.

–Filed by ITCO, New Delhi