I am useless as a professor, says the Dalai Lama

Not many would know that Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama is an honorary professor at Delhi University. On Saturday, however, not only did he reveal the little known fact to hundreds of students and others at a conference here, but also admitted that he was a "lazy" person and "useless" as a professor.

Not many would know that Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama is an honorary professor at Delhi University. On Saturday, however, not only did he reveal the little known fact to hundreds of students and others at a conference here, but also admitted that he was a "lazy" person and "useless" as a professor.

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Even as an awestruck audience -- many of them Tibetan youngsters and staff of Delhi University (DU) -- listened intently to his speech, the Dalai Lama, in a light hearted moment said that he has just not been able to live up to the honorary post awarded to him.

"Delhi University may call me its honorary professor but the reality is that I am a useless professor. And there are two reasons for that," Dalai Lama said while giving the valedictory address at the three-day international conference on Tibetan history and culture in DU here.

"Firstly, I have no time to do my duties as a professor and secondly, I am very lazy, so I don't do any homework. So here you have, a useless professor with a big name," he smiled, even the DU convocation hall, where he was speaking, erupted with laughter and applause.

Back from his visit to Italy, the Dalai Lama has been attending a number of programmes since his arrival in Delhi Friday. He gave the Justice Sunanda Bhandare Foundation Lecture on Women and Peace Friday evening at the Siri Fort auditorium in south Delhi.

At DU, more than 500 people attended the valedictory session that the Dalai Lama addressed.

Deepak Pental, DU vice chancellor, said: "We have had the Dalai Lama come and speak to us many times and each time he comes, something good happens in the university. So here's welcoming the honorary professor of DU."