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Indian Express
23 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Behind the scenes stories of Dalai Lama, from his long-time secretary & companion
The Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism and one of the most revered voices for peace, compassion, and non-violence in the modern world, turns 90 on Sunday (July 6). Here's a behind the scenes look at the man in the words of Tenzin Geyche Tethong, who served in the Dalai Lama's office for more than four decades from 1963 to 2008. The 14th Dalai Lama The 14th Dalai Lama was born as Lhamo Thondup on July 6, 1935, in the small village of Taktser in northeastern Tibet. He was recognised as the reincarnation of the 13th Dalai Lama at the age of two, and was formally enthroned in Lhasa at age four and given the spiritual name Tenzin Gyatso. Educated in Buddhist philosophy, logic, metaphysics, and poetry, the Dalai Lama assumed full political power in 1950 following China's invasion of Tibet. What followed was a decade of tension and communist suppression of the Tibetan identity. After a failed uprising against Chinese rule in Lhasa, the Dalai Lama fled the Potala Palace in 1959 and took refuge in India: he crossed the border on March 31, 1959. He has lived in exile in McLeodganj since 1960, where he helped establish the Central Tibetan Administration and became the global face of the Tibetan struggle. Despite advancing age and retirement from political leadership in 2011, he continues to travel, teach, and inspire. 'He has always been very optimistic that he will return to Tibet. It is amazing how he has been able to keep the spirit alive in Tibetans hearts and minds. He has this unique ability to keep Tibetan culture and traditions intact. Today, what the world knows about Tibet and the Tibetan struggle,' Tenzin said. Renowned for his promotion of interfaith harmony, secular ethics, and universal responsibility, the Dalai Lama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989. A man of many interests Behind the scenes, the Dalai Lama is a man of many interests. 'I am amazed to see the amount of time he spends reading Buddhist scriptures. You will always find scriptures in his hands,' Tenzin said. 'He is also a very good listener. In most cases, while deciding on any important issue, he always focuses on the consensus.' Then there is the Dalai Lama's love for gardening. As Tenzin put it: 'He loves flowers'. 'He also had a habit of dismantling things. For instance, he used to dismantle and re-assemble watches. I remember His Holiness once joked, 'People leave their watches with me thinking I can repair them. I dismantle those watches after which they get even worse than the time they were left with me,'' Tenzin said. Recounting another incident, Tenzin said, 'Once, I went to his room and found that he had dismantled the entire kerosene oil heater and all the parts were spread out'. That said, the Dalai Lama is not too keen on using modern gadgets and technology. 'Rather, he spends most of his time reading Buddhist scriptures. You will find these scriptures in his hands, even at the breakfast table,' Tenzin said. Monk who gets angry at times 'The Dalai Lama loves to meditate and interact with people from different religions, cultures and traditions,' said Tenzin. He is kind and compassionate, so much so, he has often spoken of having compassion for the Chinese as well. 'Once a monk who was imprisoned in Tibet escaped and reached here. His Holiness granted him a private audience and asked what he feared the most while in prison. The monk replied saying he feared losing his compassion towards the Chinese. That is the feeling that Buddhist monks have… [They are] full of compassion,' Tenzin said. The Dalai Lama has also authored numerous books on happiness, science, and compassion, and has engaged deeply with global thinkers — including scientists and religious leaders — on the relationship between mind, matter, and morality. But this does not make the Dalai Lama completely immune to anger. 'If you are late, if you have not done your work properly, [if you] lack sincerity — these are the things that make him angry sometimes,' Tenzin said, quickly adding: 'But, he overcomes this anger very quickly'. Even today, the Dalai Lama follows a strict daily routine. 'He has always been a very early riser. He begins his day around 3 am and retires very early around 6.30-7 pm.' During his youth, he used to frequently trek to Triund [a hill top some 9 km from McLeodganj]. He was an extremely brisk walker. Nobody could match his pace,' Tenzin said. Except for his knees, the Dalai Lama is in great health for his age. As CTA president Penpa Tsering told The Indian Express, 'He sometimes shows his teeth and says that even at 90, he hasn't lost even a single tooth. Whereas I have already got five [teeth] implanted…'. Dalai Lama's seven siblings The Dalai Lama was one of seven siblings, and one of three reincarnated Rinpoche (revered teachers) in the family, along with his oldest brother Jigme Norbu (known as Taktse Rinpoche) and younger brother Ngari Rinpoche. While Jigme Norbu, who was settled in the US, passed away in 2008, Ngari Rinpoche stays in Dharamshala with his family. The Dalai Lama had two sisters — the late Tsering Dolma and Jetsun Pema, who lives in Dharamshala. Both are respected figures in the Tibetan diaspora for their contribution to the Tibetan Children's Villages (TCVs). Tsering established TCVs to provide education to children of Tibetan refugees; after her passing, Jetsun took over their administration. Jetsun also headed the education portfolio in the CTA. The Dalai Lama's older brother, Gyalo Thondup, passed away a few months ago in Kalimpong. Gyalo played a crucial role in the initial years of exile in Sino-Tibetan dialogue. He was the one who initially tried to engage talks between China and the Dalai Lama. He also authored the book Noodle Makers of Kalimpong. The Dalai Lama's younger brother Lobsang Samten passed away a long time ago. His son, Tenzin Taklha, is currently serving as the Dalai Lama's secretary. Samten also headed the Tibetan Medical and Astro Institute.
Hindustan Times
27 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Airport choice to social media: What Harvard University advised new foreign students amid Trump crackdown
Harvard University has advised international students to be cautious about various things while landing in the US, including social media posts and data on their electronic devices. The showdown between the Donald Trump administration and Harvard University is continuing.(AP/ Reuters) According to a Bloomberg report, the school also warned some groups against arriving at Boston's Logan International Airport. The advisory was given by the representatives from Harvard's international office and a Harvard Law School immigration support group to the new international students in a support group call held last week. This comes as the university won a preliminary injunction against the Donald Trump administration's efforts to block its ability to enroll foreign students. The Harvard advisory for foreign students Bloomberg reported, citing students who participated in the private call, that Harvard administrators warned new foreign students that US state department officials have the authority to review social media accounts for student visa applicants, while US Customs and Border Protection can examine personal electronic devices and reject entry based on their contents. The students quoted in the report said the call's hosts included Maureen Martin, Harvard's director of immigration services, and Jason Corral, a staff attorney at Harvard Law School's immigration and refugee clinic. The university representatives said it wasn't clear whether the social media and device assessment was done by federal employees or artificial intelligence (AI). The exact red flags are also not known, although the focus seems to be on pro-Palestine content or anything that could be deemed anti-Semitic. Posts derogatory to the United States and its government also appear to be a point of focus. Any previous bumps into law enforcement could also attract attention. The school also warned that wiping devices clean risks inviting suspicion, according to the students. Harvard's advise to students from Iran and China The Harvard representatives reportedly advised Iranians and Chinese nationals studying in particular fields—including science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and anything related to AI—to exercise particular caution when travelling. Iranians specifically have faced more scrutiny at Logan Airport and should fly into New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport instead, Jason Corral reportedly said on the call. It's not clear if other international students would face smoother immigration processes at other airports but several participants said they walked away from the call with the understanding that JFK, Chicago's O'Hare International Airport and Los Angeles International Airport may be better options than Boston. Kseniia Petrova, a Russian-born Harvard researcher, was stopped by immigration officials at Logan Airport in February on her return from France and accused of attempting to smuggle frog embryos into the country. She was released on bail from federal custody by a Boston judge in June after spending four months in detention, but was indicted on additional charges later that month. The White House has made Harvard its primary target in its mission to reshape higher education. In addition to the attempted crackdown on international student enrollment, the Trump administration has cancelled more than $2.6 billion in research funding for Harvard and threatened its tax-exempt status. The government initially accused the school of fostering antisemitism, but the attack has since broadened to include accusations of political bias and criticism of diversity initiatives in hiring and admissions. It's not clear if Harvard students are being treated differently than those at other universities. The Trump administration is appealing the injunction over its ban on Harvard's international student enrollment.
News18
28 minutes ago
- News18
Can BRICS Be Compromised As The SCO Was?
Last Updated: BRICS is not the SCO, and Rio is not Qingdao. With Xi absent and Putin constrained, Modi arrives as the undisputed senior-most leader from the founding members On July 6, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will represent India at the BRICS Summit in Rio. At the summit, India will be joined by nine other participating nations, along with the host nation, Brazil, and observer countries. At the summit, India's major objective is to push through its counter-terrorism agenda in light of the Pahalgam attack and the aftermath of it, which led to a conflict with the Pakistani state, and name and shame the terror-breeding nation. However, it's not the first time India has been pushing this agenda with a similar group of nations in attendance. Last month, at the SCO defence ministers' meeting in Qingdao, India tried to raise the issue of cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan, only to be rebutted. Pakistan, with the help of China, forced down a counter-terror joint statement that failed to mention Pahalgam but conveniently included the struggle for independence in Balochistan, a pain point for the Pakistani state nonetheless, and conveniently labelled it terrorism. India refused to sign it. Nine of the 10 participating nations that did sign the joint statement included Iran, Russia, and China. Three of those nations will also be present at the BRICS summit; therefore, the question arises whether they'd still try to rebut India's genuine counterterror agenda. Will Russia ally with China and Iran? Will China once again be allowed to steamroll through the summit? Quite plainly, the answer is no. For the first time in 12 years of the BRICS summit, the Chinese President has chosen to skip the forum altogether. The decision is even more surprising given that almost all member countries are facing imminent and costly tariff wars with the United States. Does Beijing no longer have leadership ambitions? Or is it now aware that, outside of inconsequential multilateral summits such as the SCO, its flat-track bullying and bulldozing diplomacy will not work? Or it's the fact that Xi knew that he would be upstaged by Modi, who is the guest of honour in Brazil, and chose to spare his blushes. Whatever the reason, Xi's absence is telling. With a constrained Vladimir Putin appearing via video, PM Modi will be the most senior and most formidable leader present among the founding members. The centre of gravity at BRICS has decisively shifted. Unlike the SCO, this is a genuinely multipolar grouping where countries like Brazil and South Africa have robust, independent partnerships with India that act as a natural counterbalance to any Chinese overreach. SCO: A Stage for China's Games The charade at Qingdao was predictable. The SCO has long been China's diplomatic playground, a place where its writ runs large and inconvenient truths are swept under the carpet. The joint statement was a masterclass in Chinese manipulation designed not to combat terror but to protect its all-weather ally, Pakistan. What's even more appalling is that the very attack the SCO refused to condemn was enabled by Chinese technology. According to a detailed report by the ORF, militants in Kashmir are increasingly using sophisticated, military-grade Chinese hardware, such as Huawei satellite phones, encrypted communication systems, and GPS devices. China's diplomatic cover for Pakistan at the SCO is, in reality, a cover for its own strategic footprint in the region's terror ecosystem. It's easy to be a bully when you own the playground. It's why the SCO fails to get a serious mention in geopolitical circles. Everyone knows it's a rigged forum where China's strategic interests trump any genuine commitment to collective security. But Beijing's ability to dominate such a forum is a measure of the SCO's weakness, not China's strength. In the real world, among platforms of consequence, this kind of behaviour doesn't fly. India's Shining Moment BRICS is not the SCO, and Rio is not Qingdao. With Xi absent and Putin constrained, Modi arrives as the undisputed senior-most leader from the founding members. The spotlight will be on India, and for good reason. India's economy, projected by Morgan Stanley to be the world's fastest-growing in 2025-26, gives it the clout to match its ambitions. Most importantly, unlike at the SCO, India is confident that the BRICS declaration will not only condemn the Pahalgam attack but will do so in language that is 'to India's satisfaction", backed by a consensus of partners who understand the threat of state-sponsored terror. Key partners have already offered their solidarity. India's position is further fortified by its robust bilateral ties that serve as a powerful counterbalance to Chinese influence. The India-Brazil partnership, marked by talks of major defence pacts, including the sale of Indian Akash air defence systems, along with India's strong relationships with South Africa and the UAE, creates a web of influence that China cannot simply bulldoze. At BRICS, India has the partners, the power, and the platform to ensure its voice is heard and its security interests are upheld. But it's not just that because India has favourable conditions, its concerns will be heard or met with interest. At the G7 summit this year in Canada, despite the geopolitical 'khichdi", which seems to be the theme wherever US President Donald Trump goes, India raised the issue, stood its ground, gathered the support needed, and pushed through with its agenda. Modi also rebuffed Trump's claims that he was the one who made the ceasefire possible after pressing India and Pakistan on trade. And he did it directly to him on a call, after the US President couldn't be bothered to stay for the entire summit. The point of it is that India is not going to be bullied into signing or accepting narratives. India will carve its agenda, it will rise for itself and the Global South, and it will make itself heard on the world's stage, and it will do so at a forum that keeps the West on the edge of their seats, unlike the SCO, which does not even get a whisper. About the Author Sohil Sinha Sohil Sinha is a Sub Editor at News18. He writes on foreign affairs, geopolitics along with domestic policy and infrastructure projects. First Published:
