
"Bridge between ancient wisdom and modern world,": Kiren Rijiju honours Dalai Lama on his birthday
Rijiju called him a 'living bridge between ancient wisdom and the modern world,' pledging to follow his decisions and traditions, honouring his presence in India.
Rijiju said, 'Your holiness, you are more than a spiritual leader. You are a living bridge between ancient wisdom and the modern world. We feel blessed by his presence in our country, which he regards as his 'aryabhoomi'.'
He further affirmed unwavering support for the Dalai Lama's decisions and the spiritual institution he represents.
'As a devotee and on behalf of millions of devotees across the world, I want to state that whatever decision is taken by His Holiness, the established traditions and conventions, we will fully abide by it and follow the directions and guidelines to be issued by the institution of the Dalai Lama,' he said.
Meanwhile, the 90th birthday celebrations of the 14th Dalai Lama were held at the Tsuglagkhang temple in Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh, with Union Ministers Kiren Rijiju and Rajiv Ranjan (Lalan) Singh and other dignitaries.
The dignitaries seated on the dais, along with the Tibetan spiritual leader, included Hollywood actor Richard Gere.
Monks, devotees, and international guests gathered for the celebration to honour the life and teachings of the Dalai Lama, who is widely regarded as a global symbol of compassion, non-violence and interfaith harmony.
Meanwhile, Tibetan Buddhist monks living in exile offered special prayers at the Dorjidak Monastery near Shimla at Panthaghati this morning to mark the 90th birthday of the 14th Dalai Lama.
The Dalai Lama, born as Lhamo Dhondup on July 6, 1935, in Takster, a small farming village in northeastern Tibet, was recognised as the reincarnation of the 13th Dalai Lama at the age of two. He was formally installed as the spiritual and temporal leader of Tibet on February 22, 1940, and was given the name Tenzin Gyatso.
The term 'Dalai Lama' is Mongolian, meaning 'Ocean of Wisdom'. In Tibetan Buddhism, Dalai Lamas are considered manifestations of Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of Compassion, an enlightened being who chooses to be reborn to serve all sentient beings.
After the Chinese invasion of Tibet in 1949, the Dalai Lama assumed full political authority in 1950. He was forced to flee into exile in March 1959 following the violent suppression of the Tibetan uprising. He has since lived in India, along with over 80,000 Tibetan refugees, continuing to advocate for peace, non-violence, and compassion.
For over six decades, His Holiness has been a global ambassador of Buddhist philosophy, compassion, peace, and interfaith harmony, continuing to inspire millions worldwide.
Celebrations were held across Tibetan settlements in India and abroad, with many also expressing hope that the Dalai Lama's lineage will continue through a recognised reincarnation in the future. (ANI)
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


India Gazette
12 minutes ago
- India Gazette
"India needs to act prudently," China crticises PM Modi's wishes for Dalai Lama's birthday
Beijing [China], July 7 (ANI): China on Monday lodged a protest against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's greetings to the Dalai Lama on his 90th birthday, warning New Delhi against interfering in its internal affairs, Global Times reported. On July 6, Prime Minister Modi sent greetings to the Dalai Lama, while the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Kiren Rijiju attended the celebration on behalf of the Indian government. Responding to the development, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said, 'The position of the Chinese government on Xizang-related issues is consistent and clear. As is widely known, the 14th Dalai Lama is a political exile who has long engaged in anti-China separatist activities and seeks to separate Xizang from China under the cloak of religion.' Mao added, 'India needs to be fully cognizant of the sensitivity of issues related to Xizang, see clearly the anti-China and separatist nature of the 14th Dalai Lama, honor the commitments India has made to China on issues related to Xizang, act prudently, and stop using those issues to interfere in China's internal affairs.' She confirmed that China has protested to India regarding its actions. As tensions persist over India's engagement with the Dalai Lama, the Chinese government has reiterated its stance on the reincarnation of the Tibetan spiritual leader, the 14th Dalai Lama, with Chinese Ambassador to India Xu Feihong stating that the process is inherently an internal affair of China, adding that 'no interference by any external forces will be allowed.' In a post on X, Chinese Ambassador to India Xu Feihong wrote, 'It has been noted that some Indian officials recently made some remarks regarding the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama.' The Chinese envoy further highlighted that the government 'opposes any attempts by overseas organisations or individuals to interfere in or dictate the reincarnation process.' 'Tibetan Buddhism traces its origins to China's Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The primary regions where Tibetan Buddhism is practiced are within China. The lineage of the Dalai Lamas took shape and evolved within China's Tibet region,' he wrote on X. The envoy also cleared the government's stance, asserting that the 'conferment of their religious status and titles is the prerogative of the central government of China.' Xu Feihong also stated that the Chinese government upholds the principle of independence and self-governance in religious affairs. He also emphasised that 'no interference by any external forces will be allowed.' 'The reincarnation and succession of the Dalai Lama is inherently an internal affair of China. The Chinese government upholds the principle of independence and self-governance in religious affairs and administers the reincarnation of Living Buddhas, including that of the Dalai Lama, in accordance with the law. No interference by any external forces will be allowed,' the envoy wrote on X. The Tibetan community in exile celebrated the 90th birthday of the 14th Dalai Lama with traditional fervour and devotion at the Sambhota Tibetan School in Chhota Shimla on Sunday. (ANI)


India Gazette
12 minutes ago
- India Gazette
"You are a Minister of the Indian Republic, not a monarch": AIMIM chief Owaisi targets Kiren Rijiju over his claims of minority welfare under Union Government
New Delhi [India], July 7 (ANI): All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi targeted Union Minister Kiren Rijiju while replying to his 'X' post, mentioning his newspaper article related to minority welfare in India. Calling out Kiren Rijiju a 'minister' of the 'Indian republic' rather than a 'monarch', the AIMIM chief stated 'minority rights' are 'fundamental' rather than being a 'charity'. Asaduddin Owaisi asked whether is it a 'benefit' to be called 'Pakistani, Bangladeshi, jihadi, or Rohingya' everyday. He queried whether is 'protection' that Indian citizens are being 'kidnapped' and 'pushed' into Bangladesh. 'You are a Minister of the Indian Republic, not a monarch. Kiren Rijiju you hold a constitutional post, not a throne. Minority rights are fundamental rights, not charity. Is it a 'benefit' to be called Pakistani, Bangladeshi, jihadi, or Rohingya every single day? Is it 'protection' to be lynched? Is it protection that Indian citizens were kidnapped and pushed into Bangladesh?' Owaisi wrote on 'X'. Asaduddin Owaisi also questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi, asking whether it is an 'honour' to be the 'target' of his 'hate speech'. The AIMIM chief mentioned that the Indian minorities are not even 'second class citizens' but have turned into 'hostages'. 'Is it a privilege to watch our homes, masjids, and mazaars being bulldozed illegally? To be made socially, politically, and economically invisible? Is it an 'honour' to be the target of hate speeches from no less than the Prime Minister of India? India's minorities are not even second-class citizens anymore. We are hostages', the 'X' post said. Owaisi asked Kiren Rijiju whether can 'Muslims' be inducted into 'Hindu Endowment Board' while mentioning about the Waqf Amendment Act which 'forces non-Muslims onto Waqf Boards'. The AIMIM chief alleged that the Union Government discontinued the Maulana Azad National Fellowship and 'limited' the post-matric and merit-cum-means scholarships as they were 'Muslim' students. 'If you want to talk about 'favours', answer this: can Muslims be members of Hindu Endowment Boards? No. But your Waqf Amendment Act forces non-Muslims onto Waqf Boards -- and allows them to form a majority. You discontinued the Maulana Azad National Fellowship. You defunded the pre-matric scholarship. You limited the post-matric and merit-cum-means scholarships. All because they benefited Muslim students. Muslims are now the only group whose numbers have fallen in higher education. Their presence in the informal economy has gone up. They have been among the worst-hit by your economic policies. This is your own govt's data', he wrote on 'X'. Owaisi stated that Indian Muslims are the only group whose children are now worse off than their parents or grandparents. He mentioned that they are not asking to be compared with other minorities of other countries but demand social, economic, and political justice. 'Indian Muslims are the only group whose children are now worse off than their parents or grandparents. Intergenerational mobility has reversed. Muslim-concentrated areas are the ones most starved of public infrastructure and basic services. We are not asking to be compared with other minorities of other countries. We are not asking for more than what the majority community gets. We are demanding what the Constitution promises: social, economic, and political justice', the 'X' post said. (ANI)


India Gazette
12 minutes ago
- India Gazette
Partnership with Russia 'resilient and steadfast'- Indian finance minister
Nirmala Sitharaman held talks with Russian counterpart Anton Siluanov on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Brazil New Delhi's strategic partnership with Moscow remains "resilient and steadfast," Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Sunday. The minister's comments came after a meeting with her Russian counterpart, Anton Siluanov on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro. "The Union Finance Minister observed that India and Russia enjoy exemplary levels of mutual trust and understanding and our Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership remains resilient and steadfast," the Indian Finance Ministry said in a post on X. During the talks with Siluanov in Rio, Sitharaman also expressed gratitude for the support extended by Russian President Vladimir Putin to India after the April terror attack in the Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir that claimed 26 lives. READ MORE: G7 still thinks it is running the world. The global majority has moved on Sitharaman also congratulated Russia for its successful chairmanship of BRICS in 2024 and said that India would continue to leverage the multilateral platform to build South-South cooperation in areas of common interest. The finance ministers discussed modalities of various initiatives recently taken up by BRICS members, Sitharaman said in her post on X. The two sides also reviewed cooperation in the financial sector, along with matters related to the New Development Bank (NDB). The NDB was founded by BRICS in 2015 to address the needs of developing countries that, according to its members, are not equally represented in the international financial architecture. The Rio BRICS summit concluded with a joint declaration that criticized unilateral tariff actions and condemned "indiscriminate" trade measures, without directly mentioning the United States.