DHARAMSALA: The 25th Founding anniversary of the Bharat Tibbat Sahyog Manch (BTSM) was celebrated in the presence of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, who was the event's chief guest at the Thekchen Choling Tsuglagkhang, the main Tibetan temple in Dharamshala on Friday.
During his address, His Holiness the Dalai Lama reminded the Tibetan community of the gratitude owed to the government and people of India for their support in accommodating and sustaining Tibetans in exile. He also acknowledged India's role in preserving Tibet's cultural heritage and providing modern education to Tibetans. His Holiness began his remarks by recalling how Pandit Nehru arranged for him to live in Dharamsala after his exile.
His Holiness expressed his appreciation for the continuous support of the BTSM for the Tibetan cause. Drawing from his own experiences of meetings and discussions with scholars and scientists, he advised every Buddhist to practice analytic meditation and engage in studies of dialectics to enhance their analytical thinking and reasoning.
Dr. Indresh Kumar, Chief Patron of the organization, referred to the historic connections between India and Tibet and praised His Holiness for his leadership. He noted the auspiciousness of the gathering taking place on Buddha Purnima and rejoiced that the Buddha's teachings remain with us today.
Dr. Kumar emphasized the importance of non-violence, citing traditional tales of the struggle between good and evil, and affirmed that BTSM takes a non-violent stance in its activities. He alluded to the organization's plans to spread awareness of Tibet and promised to continue working for the Tibetan cause. In conclusion, he stated that Tibet was once a free country and has never been part of China, ending with a cheer, "Jai Tibbat, Jai Bharat."
Pankaj Goel, the National General Secretary of BTSM, warmly welcomed the esteemed chief guests and audience members to the event. He proudly announced that BTSM has successfully established branches throughout India over the past 25 years.
The Officiating Sikyong Kalon Changra Tharlam Dolma of the Central Tibetan Administration expressed her gratitude to the founding members and current leaders of BTSM for their unwavering support over the past 25 years. She also commended the exemplary guru-chela relationship between Tibet and India, thanking the latter for their contribution to the revival of Tibetan Buddhism in exile.
Khenpo Sonam Tenphel, the Speaker of the 17th Tibetan Parliament in Exile, also spoke at the event. He expressed his gratitude to the government and people of India for their support.
The event was attended by several notable figures, including Shree Indresh Kumar, the patron and founder of BTSM; Shree Kishan Kumar and Shree Jugal Kishore Sharma, Members of Lok Sabha; Gajendra Chauhan, a former television actor; Shri R. K. Khrimey, the National Vice President of BTSM; and Shree Pankash Goyal, the National General Secretary of BTSM. Additionally, Acting Chief Justice Commissioner Karma Dadul, Officiating Sikyong Kalon Tharlam Dolma Changra (Department of Education), Kalon Dolma Gyari (Department of Security), Kalon Norzin Dolma (Department of Information and International Relations), Justice Commissioner Tenzin Lungtok, and a standing committee member of the Tibetan Parliament were also in attendance.