Arunachal CM backs Bharat Ratna for Dalai Lama, rejects China’s role in succession

Guwahati: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu has joined a growing chorus of parliamentarians demanding the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award, for the Dalai Lama.

He announced that he plans to formally recommend the Tibetan spiritual leader's name to the central government.

In an interview with an agency on Tuesday, Khandu, who is himself a follower of Buddhism, highlighted the Dalai Lama’s deep historical and spiritual connection with India.

He credited the Dalai Lama with reviving and spreading the Nalanda tradition of Buddhism, originally rooted in India, across the Tibetan plateau and Himalayan belt.

"Back in the 8th century, scholars from Nalanda University traveled to Tibet, where the Bon religion prevailed. The fusion of Bon and Indian Buddhism gave rise to Tibetan Buddhism, which spread throughout Tibet," Khandu explained.

He emphasized that the Dalai Lama played a pivotal role in preserving and promoting Tibetan Buddhist traditions, particularly by establishing major monasteries in South India.

These institutions, Khandu said, have greatly benefited Buddhist communities across the Indian Himalayan region, including Ladakh, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh.

"Given his contribution to Buddhism and his global advocacy for peace and compassion, the call for the Bharat Ratna is well justified," he added.

So far, three foreign-born individuals have received the Bharat Ratna: Mother Teresa (1980), Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan (1987), and Nelson Mandela (1990).

Khandu also addressed the controversy surrounding the Dalai Lama’s successor. He noted that the Gaden Phodrang Trust, not China, will manage the process of identifying the 15th Dalai Lama, which will only begin after the current spiritual leader passes away.

Khandu said that all major heads of Buddhist traditions met before the Dalai Lama’s 90th birthday and agreed to continue the institution. He added that China objects to this decision, but its objections stem from political motives. He pointed out that mainland China does not practise Tibetan Buddhism, unlike the Himalayan regions where the tradition holds deep respect. "So, Beijing has no role in this matter," he asserted.

The 14th Dalai Lama fled to India in 1959 following China's military crackdown in Tibet and has since lived in exile in Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh, along with thousands of Tibetans.