Spiritual Relations Binding India, Tibet: Dalai Lama
(The Hindu | December 8, 2002)
The Tibetan spiritual leader, Dalai Lama, has said that India and Tibet are bound by the spiritual relations than the political one. Inaugurating Drepang Gomang University of Religious Studies in Tibetan colony at Mundgod on Saturday, he said Buddhism was one of the greatest contributions of India to the world. Drepang Gomang University would be developed into a centre of academic excellence like Nalanda. The university would be open to Indians pursuing studies in the Buddhism.
Recalling the plight of Tibetans when they were forced to out their motherland, he thanked the Indian Government for providing shelter to them at that time. The construction of the university at Mundgod was the greatest achievement of Tibetans.
The Minister for Large and Medium Industries, RV Deshpande, who presided over the programme, said the building symbolised hard work and dedication of Tibetans. The Government proposed to build a technical school at Mundgod, he said and sought the Dalai Lama's help for this.
The Dalai Lama released his biography in Kannada by Rajashekhar Naik.
Addressing presspersons, he said talks were on with the Chinese Government at diplomatic level to grant autonomy to Tibet. He hoped the dream of Tibetans to return to their motherland would be realised soon. He said he rejected the invitation of the Chinese Government to visit Tibet sometime ago. It was not proper to visit Tibet unless the autonomy was granted. He hoped the relations between Pakistan and India would improve soon with decline in Pakistan-sponsored terrorism.
Friends of Tibet (INDIA),
PO Box 16674, Bombay 400050
www.friendsoftibet.org