The Birth of IHCNBT

OVERVIEW

The Indian Himalayan Council of Nalanda Buddhist Tradition (IHCNBT) is a Trans-Himalayan Sangha Council with its headquarters in New Delhi.

Established under the supreme patronage of the Nalanda Buddhist hierarchy, the Council brings together all major Indian Himalayan Buddhist organizations, along with lay Buddhist associations and practitioners.

Our mission is the preservation and promotion of the rich Indian Himalayan Nalanda Buddhist tradition and culture, while developing institutions as centres of learning for all schools of Nalanda Buddhism. Through this effort, IHCNBT also seeks to instil a national vision of Nalanda as the spiritual origin of Buddhism.

With the blessings of Nalanda Buddhist spiritual masters from across traditions, IHCNBT represents the united voice of the Trans-Himalayan region—stretching from the Western Himalayas of Ladakh, Lahaul-Spiti, Kinnaur, and Uttarkashi in Uttarakhand, to the Eastern Himalayas of Sikkim, Darjeeling–Kalimpong in West Bengal, and the sacred lands of Monyul–Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh.

Rooted in this vast heritage, IHCNBT is committed to national integration, cultural preservation, and the revitalization of Nalanda’s wisdom as a guiding light for the Indian Himalayan region and beyond.

Foundation of IHCNBT

The Indian Himalayan Council of Nalanda Buddhist Tradition (IHCNBT) was first envisioned by The Tawang Foundation, a strategic think-tank, during a historic National Conference held on 29–30 June 2018 in Gurugram, Haryana.

The initiative was undertaken with the blessings and spiritual inspiration of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, whose vision of reviving the Nalanda Buddhist tradition in modern India continues to guide the Himalayan region.

The conference brought together 210 delegates—His Eminence Rinpoches, monks, scholars, social workers, and socio-political activists—representing the seven Himalayan states from Tawang to Ladakh.

Under the Chairmanship of His Eminence Lochen Tulku Rinpoche of Key Monastery (Himachal Pradesh), the gathering unanimously resolved to form IHCNBT as the Supreme Apex Sangha Council dedicated to preserving and promoting the Nalanda Buddhist tradition in the Indian Himalayas.

This historic resolution led to the formal registration of IHCNBT as a Society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860.

The conference was inaugurated by Shri R. N. Ravi, Chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC), and the closing session was graced by Shri Kiren Rijiju, Hon’ble Minister of State for Home Affairs, Government of India.

The foundation of IHCNBT, under the patronage of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama and the blessings of Nalanda Buddhist masters, marked a turning point in Himalayan Buddhist history—uniting diverse traditions and communities under the light of Nalanda wisdom.