E-Paper
Dalai Lama felicitated with Gandhi Mandela Award for lifelong efforts to promote peace
Thanking the Gandhi Mandela Foundation for the honour, the Dalai Lama said non-violence and compassion were essential for world peace
Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar on Saturday felicitated the 14th Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso with the Gandhi Mandela Award presented by the namesake foundation at a historic ceremony held at Thekchen, Mcleod Ganj, Dharamshala in Kangra district.
Thanking the foundation for the honour, awarded to global leaders as recognition of their efforts in championing peace, unity and freedom, the Dalai Lama said non-violence and compassion were essential for world peace — before adding that the principles are ingrained in Indian culture.
“Any problem can’t be solved in war but through dialogue and peace”, he said.
Notably, the Dalai Lama, the spiritual head of the Tibetan diaspora, had in 1959 fled Lhasa after the Chinese troops marched into the erstwhile capital of the then independent state. The exiled leader has been living in Dharamshala, where he set up a self-styled Tibetan government in exile known as the central Tibetan Administration. He had been pushing for greater autonomy for the China-controlled Tibetan Autonomous region since.
Arlekar, meanwhile, said the honour was being awarded to the “most deserving” and hailed the Dalai Lama as a universal ambassador for peace.
Jury chairperson and former Chief Justice of India Justice KG Balakrishnan had earlier said the Dalai Lama had turned saviour for a large community and the younger generation must follow his teachings. He added that the foundation was honoured to award the Gandhi Mandela Award to the Dalai Lama.
The foundation has been promoting the values and ideals of its two namesake personalities in the interest of global peace and freedom
