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Indian Himalayan Council of Nalanda Buddhist Tradition
The National Seminar cum Workshop on "Nalanda Buddhism in the Himalayan region of India: Emerging trends and Development in 21st Century" And Monastic Education Curriculum recognized by NIOS Education Board, Ministry of Education, Govt. of India. Date: 12th January 2025, at Kurian Hall, Bar Council, High Court at Shimla, Himachal Pradesh organized by Indian Himalayan Council of Nalanda Buddhist tradition was inaugurated by the Hon’ble Minister Sh. Vikramaditya Singh, Minister of PWD & Urban Development, Govt. of Himachal Pradesh in the august presence of His Eminence Lochen Tulku Rinpoche, President, IHCNBT and Abbot of Key Monastery, Spiti who is the 17th incarnation of Lostwa Rinchen Zangpo, the great Translator and has significant following in Lahoul-Spiti and Kannur and Ladakh UT. The other dignitaries were Prof. VS Negi, Himachal University, Shri S. Mahendran, Reginal Director, NIOS, Chandigarh and Shri Jagjeet Singh, Academic Officer, Defence studies, NIOS, Noida, New Delhi, Khen Rinpoche Tsering Dorjey, Jonang Monastery, Shimla, Sh. Tsewang La, Chief Representative, Tibet Govt. in Exile, Shimla, the Representatives of Monasteries in Himachal Pradesh.
The program started with the lighting of lamp and chanting of Mangalacharan by the Monks of Dorjey Drak Gonpa, Shimla. The Chief Guest and the dignitaries on the dias were facilitated with ceremonial Khatah and momento of IHCNBT, Himachali Cap and Maflar by the Welcome group led by Sh. HC Negi ji.Sh. HC Negi, IRS (Retd.), Vice President, IHCNBT welcomed the chief Guest and H.E Lochen Rinpoche and other dignitaries on dias and briefed on the importance of Buddhism as Philosophy and its prevalence in the Indian Himalayan region and practice by the people. He told of the main focus of the workshop is for the stakeholders and beneficiary Monastic Institutions in Himachal Pradesh. He said the all the Monasteries who are attending shall be applying for affiliation for the Monastic education Curriculum under NIOS and they will be briefed on the modalities and filling up the application form.
The keynote address was delivered by Adv. Maling Gombu, General Secretary, IHCNBT wherein he spoke on the brief history of Buddhism in Lahoul-Spiti and Kinnaur region of Himachal Pradesh and the role of Lostwa Rinchen Zangpo who built 108 monasteries in this region and Guge region and the architecture in the monasteries using the Kashmir artisans and architect some of which are like today’s Tabo Monastery and Key Monastery in Spiti and in Ladakh and Zanskar region. He spoke on the work of Indian National Sangha body, IHCNBT for the development and strengthening of the monasteries in the Himalayan region from Arunachal to Ladakh UT. He spoke on the initiative of development of monastic education curriculum with NIOS education board, Ministry of education, Govt. of India. The Course material of Bhoti language and Boudh Dharshan as subjects have been reconised by NIOS and along with modern education subjects, the course is ready for implementation. Now as IHCNBT has identified and surveyed 136 monasteries with around 10,000 plus monks all along the Indian Himalayan region where the implementation will be done. Out of which 22 monasteries are in State of Himachal Pradesh. This will now have the certification of the education in the monasteries which was not there earlier due to which though the monks were educated in their education but no certification as the same was not recognized by the Govt. mainstream education system. This is a great achievement in the development of Buddhist philosophy and its continuity.
Presiding over the function H.E Lochen Rinpoche welcomed the Chief Guest and spoke on the relation of his late father Raja VirBhadra Singh, the former Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh and how he especially took care and loved the people of Lahoul-Spiti and Kinnaur. He spoke of the importance of the Monastic education course recognized by the Education Board NIOS of Govt. of India and how this will benefit and have certification for the Buddhist education along with modern education. He appealed to the Chief Guest Hon’ble Minister to consider to recognize the Bhoti language in the State of Himachal Pradesh for the education system as done for some other languages. He expressed his gratitude to the NIOS, GOI for the recognizing the the Bhoti language and Boudh dahrshan for the monastic education.
The Chief Guest Sh. Vikramaditya appreciated the efforts and great work done by IHCNBT with NIOS, Education Board under Ministry of Education, Govt. of India for the for the Buddhist education. He said this will go a long way in the development of Buddhist education and especially in Himachal in the region of Lahoul-Spiti and Kninnaur where the Buddhist population live in large numbers and there are a large number of Monasteries. He told that his late father Raja Vir Bhadra Singh, the former Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh was deeply connected with the Buddhist people from this region and had always worked for their development with special care. He told that it is because of that relation that he is today here to be with you all and he said that the Himachal Pradesh Govt. will do all for the people of the is region. On the demand of H.E Loche Rinpoche and the people for the recognition of the Buddhist education and Bhoti Bhasha in Himachal Pradesh education curriculum, he will definitely look in the matter and take up with the Chief Minister and Education Minister. He spoke on the importance of Buddhism and its role in today’s times where the messahe of Peace and Compassion needs to spread and he said the role of India as Vishwa Guru and the Prime Minister Modi speaks that India has given Buddha to the world and not war. It is therefore important the Buddhism develops in its land of origin and this step by the Government will benefit the monks and Nuns and for the furtherance and promotion of Buddhist philosophy.
In the Workshop the Academic Officer, Sh. Jagjeet Singh gave a PPT presentation on the NIOS education and its role in reaching to the unreached sections of the society and the MoU between NIOS and IHCNBT for the monastic education. He said the certification of NIOS is valid in Indian and world. The Regional Director, Sh. Mahedran from where the Monasteries in the state of Himachal Pradesh shall be monitored and guided spoke of the Course curriculum and the examination. Adding to the system in the NIOS education, Sh. Maling Gombu told that unlike the other Open School candidates who register on individual level, the Monasteries will be registering as an Institution and the monks in the monasteries are residential, so it will run like any other regular school having its regular exams and attendance and provide best of education. The Monasteries had some clarifications to be made. In total 23 Monasteries participated in the program and cleared all their doubts from the NIOS official’s team. The Application form for the affiliation with NIOS for the remaining monasteries was given and Sh. Maling Gombu explained the filling up of the application form dealing with all the points. He told that the monasteries has to complete and submit the forms to IHCNBT at Delhi by this month end for forwarding to NIOS, Noida for completing the process of affiliation. The academic course will start from March-April 2025 in the affiliated monasteries through NIOS.
The Seminar and Workshop which was focus specific for the monasteries as stakeholders were attended by all the monasteries in Himalchal Pradesh and total of around 200 people attended the program. The Monasteries of Jonang and Dorjey Drak at Shimla also participated in the program. The media group of local News paper like Danik Jagran, PTI, Himachal News, ANI, Vikrant LiveTimes TV, Punjab Kesari, Doordarshan, Shimla, Amar Ujala, Surya Samachar participated and gave a wide media coverage for the publicity of the recognisition of the Bhoti language and Boudh dharshan for the Buddhist education for the benefit of Monks and Nuns and for the continuity of Buddha Dharma thus removing the fear of extinction or loss of Buddhs Dahrma.
The take away points of the Seminar and Workshop:
1. The Stakeholders and beneficiary monasteries all attended and agreed to apply for affiliation to NIOS for starting the courses from this academic year 2025-26.
2. The Govt. of Himachal Pradesh will take effort in recognizing the Bhoti language in the Himachal Govt. education system.
3. The media gave wide publicity of the positive step by the Govt. of India recognizing the Bhoti language and Boudh darshan in the monasteries with modern education leading to certification of the education in the monasteries.
4. The step of this recognition and certification of the education in the monasteries will lead to further development of Buddhist philosophy and Buddha Dharma removing the fear of extinction of Buddhism in its land of origin.
5. That, three officials from NIOS head office and Regional office Chandigarh took part and explained to the monasteries.
