In a first, Indian Army officers undertake Tibetology course

In a first, Indian Army officers undertook a course in Tibetology "to gain comprehensive knowledge andstrengthen their connect" with the Tibetan community in the border areas, the Indian Defence Ministry has announced. The 42 day-long course was attended by Indian Army officers, JCO etc at the Central Institute of Himalayan and Cultural Studies, Dahung, ArunachalPradesh. More such courses on Tibetology are being planned in the future.

A statement by Lt Col A S Walia, Press Officer for Defence, Tezpursaid,"officers undertook research on subjects such as Tibetan Buddhism, People of Tibet, Sinicization of Tibet and Political system in Tibet before and after 1950". Tibet after 1950 saw dramatic political changes including an invasion by China that led to the Dalai Lama, the top Tibetan spiritual Guru, leaving the region in 1959. Since then, Tibet has seen widespread influx of Han Chinese andsinicization or increased Chinese influence.

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The courseincluded learning of Tibetan Language, understanding of Tibetan Buddhism and Literature and visits to monasteries of Chillipam, Dirang and Bomdila. Many of these monasteries have deep linkages with Tibetan Buddhism.The Indian Army officers also took part in Saka Dawa, a key festival in Tibetan Buddhism and is associated with Buddha's life which the statement said, "further enriched their knowledge of the Tibetan culture and religion".

The development comes at a time when India-China tensions remain high in the backdrop of Chinese aggressive moves at the Line of Actual (LAC) control in Eastern Ladakh. 2020 Galwan incident at LAC saw India losing 20 of its soldiers due to military action by the Chinese army. China, after much delay did accept that it lost 4 of its soldiers, a number that remains doubtful given Beijing's lackluster track record on transparency.

Other key features of the course included guest lectures by Guru Tulku Rinpoche, Abbot of Bomdila Monastery and Tibetexpert Claude Arpi. In March 2022, Guru Tulku Rinpoche was honored with Padma Shri, the fourth-highest civilian award of India for Spiritualism. He is identified as the 12th incarnation in the lineage of Merag Lama Lodroe Gyatso who founded Tawang Monastery.Tawang Monastery has very close links with Tibet, and it was this monastery that the Dalai Lama reached to take shelter after the Chinese invasion of his homeland.

China meanwhile remains miffed over mega celebrations on the occasion of Dalai Lama's birthday earlier this month, which saw Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi extending wishes. The Celebrations in Dharamshala, the location of Tibetan government in exile, saw participation of Chief Minister of Himachal PradeshJai Ram Thakur. In Delhi, 2 ministers of states (MoS), MoS of culture and external affairs Meenakshi Lekhi and MoS Law SP Baghel attended the birthday celebration, though sources said they were present in private capacity. Dalai Lama's birthday celebrations in Delhi saw significant presence of the diplomatic community, including Taiwan's ambassadorBaushuan Ger, America's top diplomat --Chargé D'Affaires Patricia A. Lacina among others.

His Holiness, Dalai Lama this month has been to the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. His first visit outside of Dharamshala in 2 years as covid crisis abates. His visit to Ladakh comes even as India and China held 16th round of military talks to ease tensions at LAC in eastern Ladakh. While few areas like Pangong Tso, and others have seen disengagement, friction remains in other areas even as China continues to violate the 1990s pact signed to maintain peace and tranquility in border areas.