GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF IHCNBT 2025

Report

Venue: Multipurpose Hall, India International Centre (IIC)

New Delhi. Date: 21st & 22nd March, 2025

The Inauguration of the First General Assembly began at the Multipurpose Hall, India International Centre, New Delhi at 10 a.m. with the lighting of the lamp in front of the Buddha statue, followed by Buddhist prayer chanting. The dignitaries on the dais took their seats and were welcomed with the traditional offering of khatak (white holy scarf), along with souvenirs and momentous.

H.E. Lochen Tulku Rinpoche, President of IHCNBT, delivered the Keynote Address for the First General Assembly session and spoke about the work and achievements of IHCNBT since its formation. He highlighted the need for establishing such a pan-Himalayan apex body at the national level and emphasized the importance of coordination among all monasteries and Buddhist organizations for a united approach toward development and the preservation, promotion, and protection of Buddhist culture and heritage. He reiterated His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s guidance that monasteries and gonpas should become centers of learning not only for monks and nuns but also for lay people. He also spoke about the monastic education curriculum developed in collaboration with NIOS and the certification of Bhoti as a language and Boudh Darshan as a subject, alongside modern education. He mentioned various programs such as conferences on Nalanda Buddhism and discussions on the position and status of Buddhism across the different Himalayan regions, from Arunachal Pradesh to Ladakh (UT).

The Guest of Honour, Dr. Rajiv Kumar, Director, NIOS, Ministry of Education, spoke about the historic development in monastic education, which will play a crucial role in the preservation and promotion of Buddhist education, culture, and heritage in the trans-Himalayan region. He said the NIOS is always there to extend all possible help and they are very happy to be associated with IHCNBT in the promotion of the Buddhist education. The Special Guest, Shri Vijaya Kumar, Director, NIOS, elaborated on the role and functions of NIOS and its mission to reach the unreached sections of society. He expressed satisfaction with the MoU signed between NIOS and IHCNBT and mentioned that 20 monasteries have already obtained NIOS accreditation, with many more expected to follow. He stated that it would be encouraging to see more monasteries with significant numbers of monks and nuns adopting the NIOS monastic education system, ensuring a better future for the monastic community.

Shri Maling Gombu, General Secretary, IHCNBT, delivered the Concluding Remarks and Vote of Thanks for the inaugural program. He presented the agenda of the First General Assembly, noting that 130 delegates from all Himalayan states had gathered to deliberate over the next two days. He thanked the Directors from NIOS for taking time out of their busy schedules to address the Assembly and extended a warm welcome to all the dignitaries, Rinpoches, Khenpos, Geshes, monks, nuns, and members of the Sangha for participating in this first General Assembly. He also provided a brief overview of the two-day program of the General Assembly. On Day II, Shri Maling Gombu gave a presentation on the Report and Programs of IHCNBT, emphasizing the importance of increasing the Council’s visibility through social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram by connecting all monasteries as Facebook friends of IHCNBT. He outlined the journey of IHCNBT since its inception in 2018 and briefly spoke about the various conferences and workshops organized across the Indian Himalayan states. He mentioned that nearly two programs have been organized in each state on themes related to Nalanda Buddhism and its origins in Bharat (India), from where it spread to different parts of the world.

He also spoke about the establishment and functioning of Regional Chapters in all Himalayan states, stating that these chapters would soon be activated to carry out the work of IHCNBT at the state level. Regarding the Development of Border Villages in the Indian Himalayan region, he discussed potential collaborations with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) for implementing economic and social development programs under the Vibrant Villages Programme. He highlighted the strategic importance of these regions and the role of Nalanda Buddhist culture in fostering development and stability. It was also proposed that 29th June (Foundation Day of IHCNBT, established on 29th June 2018) be celebrated annually with significant programs to mark the occasion. Finally, he presented a brief report on the audit and accounts of IHCNBT for the financial year 2023–24 to 2024–25, noting that the organization currently operates without regular funding and is dependent on donations for its activities.