Mysore, August 7 – “India, the land of Aryans (as the Tibetans call it), will have to take the leadership to show the world a path towards global peace,” said Prof. Sandhong Rinpoche, the Prime Minister of Tibetan Government in Exile (Kolon Tripa).
He was speaking after inaugurating a seminar on ‘World Peace’, under the joint auspices of Indo-Tibetan Friendship Society of Mysore and Rotary Mysore West, held at Vivekananda Hall, Mahajana College, Jayalakshmipuram here this morning.
Rinpoche said, “the world is going through a critical phase. The so-called industrial revolution has made people to produce materials in excess of their needs, affecting the socio-political system and encouraging capitalism, thus leading to exploitation of mankind.”
“The world now faces five major problems, namely (i) unchecked population growth (ii) gap between haves and haves nots, (iii) violence in various forms (iv) high technology growth and (v) scarcity of basic amenities,” he said.
“We have converted religions into sources of conflicts to such an extent of fundamentalism and religious intolerance that we have given up religion, leaving only the institutions,” he regretted and added that since people are inter-dependent, peaceful co-existence is essential.
Recalling Mahatma Gandhi’s moola shasthra of Hindu Swaraj during 1908-09, his vision in book form, Rinpoche suggested that it must be revisited and celebrate the centenary of Hindu Swaraj, the concept which was supported by many contemporary leaders then.
“Tibetan problem is not an isolated one. It is global,” he said.
Rinpoche was elected as the Prime Minister during 2001 and the Tibetan Government in Exile is considered as the best exiled Government in the world.
He had served as the President of Dalhousie Rotary Club and has made efforts to establish a Rotary Club in Bylakuppe near Kushalnagar (Kodagu district), which would be the first Club in any refugee camp of the world.
He remembered former Chief Minister late S. Nijalingappa in granting settlements for Tibetans in Karnataka, which is the largest in the country.
In the plenary session, former Vice-chancellor Prof. Sheik Ali spoke on “Non-violence and world peace, Mahatma Gandhi to Dalai Lama’ while Prof. C.K.N. Raja spoke on ‘Make Tibet a land of peace.’
Palecanda K. Devaiah, South India Co-ordinator, Core Group for Tibetan Cause, explained about the objective of the seminar and said that the Tibetan’s non-violent fight for their homeland since 50 years has been so effective that the Chinese Government will be forced to free Tibet.
Swami Atmavidanandaji, President of Ramakrishna Ashram, Mysore, presided. Gp. Capt. H. Rajagopal (retd.) President of the Indo-Tibetan Society, welcomed.
G.R. Parameshwarappa, Vice-President of the Indo-Tibetan Society, introduced the Tibetan Prime Minister to the audience.
