In a first, Indian Army Officers undertake a Tibetology course

New Delhi: The officers of the Indian Army have undertaken for the first time a course in Tibetology to gain comprehensive knowledge and strengthen their connection with the Tibetan community in the border areas. According to the Defence Ministry, the 42-day-long course was attended by Indian Army officers, JCOs and others at the Central Institute of Himalayan and Cultural Studies, Dahung, Arunachal Pradesh.

More such courses on Tibetology are being planned in the future.

The PRO (Defence) at Resources Lt Col AS Walia said, "Officers undertook research on subjects such as Tibetan Buddhism, People of Tibet, Sinicization of Tibet and Political system in Tibet before and after 1950".

After 1950, Tibet saw dramatic political changes including an invasion by China that led to the Dalai Lama, the top Tibetan spiritual Guru, leaving the region in 1959. Since then, Tibet has seen a widespread influx of Han Chinese and sinicization or increased Chinese influence.

The course included learning of Tibetan Language, understanding of Tibetan Buddhism and Literature and visits to monasteries of Chillipam, Dirang and Bomdila. Many of these monasteries have deep linkages with Tibetan Buddhism. The Indian Army officers also took part in Saka Dawa, a key festival in Tibetan Buddhism and is associated with Buddha's life which the statement said, "further enriched their knowledge of the Tibetan culture and religion".

The development comes at a time when India-China tensions remain high in the backdrop of Chinese aggressive moves at the Line of Actual (LAC) control in Eastern Ladakh. 2020 Galwan incident at LAC saw India losing 20 of its soldiers due to military action by the Chinese army. China, after much delay, did accept that it lost 4 of its soldiers, a number that remains doubtful given Beijing's lacklustre track record on transparency.

Other key features of the course included guest lectures by Guru Tulku Rinpoche, Abbot of Bomdila Monastery and Tibet expert Claude Arpi. In March 2022, Guru Tulku Rinpoche was honoured with Padma Shri, the fourth-highest civilian award of India for Spiritualism. He is identified as the 12th incarnation in the lineage of Merag Lama Lodroe Gyatso who founded Tawang Monastery. Tawang Monastery has very close links with Tibet, and it was this monastery that the Dalai Lama reached to take shelter after the Chinese invasion of his homeland.

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