30-Apr-2018: Prime Minister honours Tibetan institute

Prime Minister Narendra Modi honoured Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies (Deemed University) (CIHTS) as part of celebrations to mark Buddha Purnima. At an event held in New Delhi. The issues facing the world can be solved by following the path of the Buddha.

We are fortunate to have the teachings of Lord Buddha among us even after 2,500 years. Government has allocated ₹360 crore for the development of the Buddhist circuit. This will help in developing Buddhist spots in U.P., Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and A.P.

The Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies (Deemed University) (CIHTS) at Sarnath, Varanasi, is one of its kinds in the country. The Institute is a centrally funded institute established in 1967. The idea of the Institute was mooted in course of a dialogue between Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India and Dalai Lama with a view to educating the young Tibetan Diaspora and those from the Himalayan border regions of India, who have religion, culture and language in common with Tibet.

Originally the Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies (CIHTS), began to function as a constituent wing of the Sampurnananda Sanskrit University, and eventually emerged as an autonomous body in 1977 under the Ministry of Culture, Government of India.

Though the Central Tibetan Administration, the authority of the Tibetans in exile has several programmes for cultural preservation, CIHTS is unique as it is a unique institution in India.

Honouring of the Tibet-related institute is perceived as an important significant step as it came a day after Prime Minister Modi returned from his bilateral informal summit with President Xi Jinping of China. He also honoured the All India Bhikshu Sangha of Bodh Gaya.