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Business Standard
20 minutes ago
- Business Standard
Dalai Lama turns 90: Monk, exile, Nobel laureate and symbol of hope
On July 6, 1935, a boy named Lhamo Dhondup was born in a small village in Amdo, northeastern Tibet. The sixth of sixteen children, his early life was marked by simplicity and hardship—his parents were barley farmers, his mother remembered as endlessly kind, and his father temperamental but fair. At age two, his fate changed forever. A Tibetan government search party—guided by omens and visions—arrived at Kumbum Monastery and identified him as the reincarnation of the 13th Dalai Lama. In a series of tests, the toddler correctly recognised possessions of his predecessor, proclaiming, 'It's mine.' This convinced the high lamas that they had found the 14th Dalai Lama. What followed was a wrenching separation from his family and early life in monasteries under strict discipline. In 1940, he was formally enthroned in Lhasa and renamed Jamphel Ngawang Lobsang Yeshe Tenzin Gyatso. The journey from a remote village to the Potala Palace marked the beginning of a spiritual and political saga that would span the century. A monk forced to rule too early Tenzin Gyatso began his monastic education at the age of six, studying under the Nalanda curriculum. Subjects ranged from Buddhist philosophy and logic to Sanskrit grammar and poetry. He would go on to attain the Geshe Lharampa degree, equivalent to a doctorate in Buddhist studies. But the burden of spiritual tutelage soon gave way to geopolitical responsibility. In 1950, at just 15, he was urged by senior monks and government oracles to take on full political authority, as Chinese troops invaded eastern Tibet. Despite efforts to initiate dialogue with the Chinese leadership—including meetings with Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai in 1954—the People's Liberation Army tightened its grip. In March 1959, following a failed uprising and intelligence about a plot to abduct or assassinate him, the Dalai Lama disguised himself as a soldier and fled Lhasa. After crossing the Himalayas under harsh conditions, he reached Arunachal Pradesh and was granted asylum by India. Building a new Tibet in exile In exile, the Dalai Lama transformed from a besieged leader into a builder of institutions. The Indian government, under former Prime Minister Jawaharlala Nehru, helped establish schools for Tibetan children, rehabilitation centres for refugees, and eventually the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) in Dharamsala, now known as 'Little Lhasa". On June 20, 1959, the Dalai Lama officially repudiated the Seventeen-Point Agreement signed under duress with China. He announced his vision for a democratic Tibet and began creating a system of self-governance among the refugees. In 1963, he introduced the Charter of Tibetans in Exile, laying the foundation for a democratic polity with legislative, executive and judicial branches. By 2001, Tibetans in exile were electing their political leader—the Kalon Tripa—through universal adult franchise. In 2011, the Dalai Lama formally devolved his political authority, ending a 368-year-old tradition of spiritual-political rule. 'I am now a retired monk,' he said, even as he remained the symbolic heartbeat of the Tibetan cause. A global symbol of compassion and resistance While he remained stateless, the Dalai Lama became a citizen of the world. Travelling to over 67 countries, meeting leaders, scientists, religious scholars and activists, he carried a message of compassion, interdependence and non-violence. His 1987 Five-Point Peace Plan, proposed before the US Congress, called for Tibet to be declared a zone of peace and demanded protection of Tibet's fragile ecology and culture. In 1989, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his advocacy of non-violent struggle in the face of aggression. The Nobel Committee praised his consistent opposition to the use of violence and his concern for global environmental issues. Through the Mind and Life Institute, he fostered dialogue between Buddhist monks and scientists on topics such as neurobiology, consciousness, and emotional regulation—creating a bridge between ancient wisdom and modern science. Question of succession As he enters his tenth decade, the Dalai Lama has turned focus to a question that carries deep spiritual and political weight: his succession. In 2011, he issued a formal statement detailing how a 15th Dalai Lama could be recognised—through traditional Buddhist procedures involving senior lamas and divination rituals—not political appointments. On July 2, 2025, he made it clear that the authority to recognise his reincarnation rests solely with the Gaden Phodrang Trust established by him. Dalai Lama has repeatedly said that any successor selected by Beijing would not be accepted. 'In order (for the) Chinese government to take responsibility for reincarnation in general, particularly me, first, Chinese communists should accept the theory of rebirth,' he had remarked in 2017. Legacy beyond Tibet Today, the Dalai Lama remains a towering moral figure, even without territorial power. His life has become emblematic of the spiritual resilience of Tibet and a broader global yearning for moral clarity in an age of polarisation and authoritarianism. From a farming family in a forgotten Tibetan village to becoming the face of non-violent resistance and interfaith dialogue, his journey is without parallel. He has written over 110 books, been honoured with more than 150 awards, and inspired generations with the simplest of ideas—that inner peace is the first step toward world peace. As Dalai Lama turns 90, the world celebrates not just a spiritual teacher, but a guiding light in today's polarising world. In his own words: "Basically, the universal responsibility is feeling for other people's suffering just as we feel our own. It is the realisation that even our enemy is entirely motivated by the quest for happiness. We must recognise that all beings want the same thing that we want. This is the way to achieve a true understanding, unfettered by artificial consideration."
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Business Standard
21 minutes ago
- Business Standard
US-India trade talks, TCS earnings likely to drive markets this week
Equity investors are up for an eventful trading week ahead as the 90-day suspension period of the reciprocal tariffs announced by US President Donald Trump ends on July 9, analysts said, adding that a positive outcome from the trade negotiations could further lift market sentiment, particularly benefiting trade-sensitive sectors. Besides, Q1 earnings from IT major TCS and foreign fund movement would also dictate sentiment at the Dalal Street, experts said. July 9 marks the end of the 90-day suspension period of the Trump tariffs imposed on dozens of countries, including India. An additional import duty of 26 per cent was announced on Indian goods entering the US. "This week holds significant importance not only for Indian markets but for global equities as well. The most anticipated event is the outcome of the US trade (tariff) deadline on July 9, which could shape global trade dynamics. Investors will also closely monitor the release of the US FOMC (Federal Open Market Committee) minutes on the same day," Ajit Mishra SVP, Research, Religare Broking Ltd, said. Domestically, the spotlight will shift to corporate earnings, with IT major TCS and retail giant Avenue Supermarts among the prominent companies scheduled to report their quarterly results, setting the tone for the Q1 earnings season, he added. Movement in global oil benchmark Brent crude and the rupee-dollar trend would also be monitored by investors this week. "A positive outcome from the US-India trade negotiations could further lift market sentiment, particularly benefiting trade-sensitive sectors like IT, pharma, and auto. Considering the broader indices currently trading at elevated levels, the market participants will closely watch for signs of earnings catch-up from upcoming Q1starting this week," Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Investments Limited, said. Last week, the BSE benchmark Sensex dropped 626.01 points or 0.74 per cent, and the NSE Nifty declined 176.8 points or 0.68 per cent. "Overall, we expect the market to remain in consolidation mode, awaiting clarity on the India-US trade deal; while stock specific action would continue on the back of Q1 FY26 business updates ahead of the earnings season starting this week," Siddhartha Khemka, Head - Research, Wealth Management, Motilal Oswal Financial Services Ltd, said. On foreign fund flows, V K Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist, Geojit Investments Limited, said, "Resumption of FII (Foreign Institutional Investors) buying will hinge on two things: One, if a trade deal happens between India and US that will be positive for markets and FII flows; two, Q1 FY26 result indications. If the results indicate earnings recovery, that will be positive. Disappointment on these factors can impact the market and, thereby, FII flows.
Mint
24 minutes ago
- Mint
Indians abducted in Mali: Victim family claims Al-Qaida-linked ‘terrorists demanding ransom' in exchange for hostages
A relative of an Indian national abducted by an al-Qaeda linked terrorist group in West Africa's Mali claimed that terrorists are demanding ransom in exchange for the people. P Venkataraman, a resident of Odisha's Ganjam district, is among the three Indians abducted by an al-Qaeda linked terrorist group in West Africa's Mali. Venkataraman's brother-in-law told news agency ANI his family had got a call from the company where Venkataraman worked in Mali. The brother-in-law said, "We got a call from the company that he and some others are in police custody as terrorists have set the factory on fire. An international news claimed that Al-Qaeda had kidnapped some people.' 'We called the company to confirm this, and they refused us to leak this information and said that the terrorists are demanding ransom in exchange for the people," he was quoted by ANI as saying. Venkataraman's brother-in-law further informed that his family complained to the police after waiting for a few days. 'I called and mailed the embassy, but did not get any response. I demand that my brother-in-law be brought back home safely," he said. The brother-in-law said on Saturday that Venkat had last called him on June 30. 'He [Venkataraman] worked in a cement factory in Mali, West Africa. He said his company had stopped them from going out as terrorists were present. This kidnapping incident happened on July 1,' Venkataraman's relative said. Earlier, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) expressed deep concern over the abduction of three Indian workers from a factory in Mali's Kayes region and urged authorities in the West African country to ensure their "safe and expeditious" rescue. "It has come to the knowledge of the Government of India that many military and government installations at multiple locations of western and central Mali were attacked by terrorists on July 1," the MEA said in a statement on Wednesday.
