New Delhi, 18 December 2025: The All-Party Indian Parliamentary Forum for Tibet (APIPFT), in collaboration with the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile (TPiE), convened a commemorative meeting in New Delhi on 18 December 2025 to celebrate the 90th Birth Anniversary of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama and to reflect upon his extraordinary legacy of peace, non-violence, compassion, and universal responsibility.
The event brought together Members of Parliament from both Houses and across party lines, including Shri Ramdas Athawale, Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment; Shri Bhartruhari Mahtab, MP (Lok Sabha); Shri Sujeet Kumar, MP (Rajya Sabha); Shri Virendra Singh, MP (Lok Sabha); Shri Narayan Das Ahirwar, MP (Lok Sabha); Shri Sudhakar Singh, MP (Lok Sabha); Shri Angomcha Bimol Akoijam, MP (Lok Sabha); Shri Manoj Tigga, MP (Lok Sabha); and Shri Ram Chander Jangra, MP (Rajya Sabha), among others.
The programme commenced with a welcome address by Speaker Khenpo Sonam Tenphel of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, followed by a ceremonial cake-cutting to mark the 90th birth anniversary of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Members of Parliament from various political parties addressed the gathering, paying tribute to His Holiness’s lifelong commitment to non-violence, dialogue, interfaith harmony, and global peace.
In his address, Speaker Khenpo Sonam Tenphel expressed deep gratitude to the Government and people of India for their unwavering moral leadership and generosity, which ensured the survival of Tibetan civilisation in exile. He noted that the 90th birth anniversary of His Holiness is being commemorated globally as the “Year of Compassion,” and urged parliamentarians to stand in solidarity with Tibetans inside Tibet who continue to endure suffering through non-violent means. He also highlighted the recently concluded 9th World Parliamentarians’ Convention on Tibet (WPCT) held in Tokyo, which adopted a resolution reaffirming gratitude for His Holiness’s enduring service to humanity.
Shri Sudhakar Singh, MP (Lok Sabha) from Bihar (Rashtriya Janata Dal), highlighted peace, non-violence, and compassion as core values embodied by His Holiness. He emphasised that the Tibet issue is not merely a border dispute, but one of human rights, cultural preservation, environmental protection, and regional security, recalling India’s moral and strategic responsibility, as articulated by Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia, to support genuine autonomy and justice for Tibet.
Shri Virendra Singh, MP (Lok Sabha) from the Samajwadi Party, reiterated His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s teachings of peace, compassion, and non-violence. He shared his experience of participating in the 9th World Parliamentarians’ Convention on Tibet in Tokyo earlier this year and reaffirmed India’s continued support for the Tibetan cause.
Shri Narayan Das Ahirwar, MP (Lok Sabha) from the Samajwadi Party, reflected on the Buddha’s message of compassion and non-violence, noting that under the guidance of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Tibetan cultural heritage has been preserved despite persecution by the Chinese Communist Party. He assured continued Indian support for the Tibetan people.
Shri Angomcha Bimol Akoijam, MP (Lok Sabha) from Manipur (Indian National Congress), spoke of his long-standing connection with the Tibetan community and expressed admiration for His Holiness’s message of peace and compassion, particularly his non-violent response to China’s persecution without harbouring hatred.
Shri Bhartruhari Mahtab, MP (Lok Sabha) from Odisha (BJP) and Convener of APIPFT, emphasised the global significance of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s 90th birth anniversary and his universal message of love and compassion. Reaffirming India’s commitment to the Tibetan cause, he reiterated that the Line of Actual Control represents the Indo-Tibet border. He described His Holiness as an apostle of peace and expressed admiration for his compassionate engagement with China despite the suffering inflicted by the Chinese Communist Party.
During the meeting, the Forum unanimously adopted the following resolutions:
- To Celebrate the 90th Birthday of His Holiness the Dalai Lama
To honour a life devoted to peace, wisdom, compassion, and the upliftment of humanity. - To Recognise His Holiness’s Cultural and Spiritual Legacy
To pay tribute to his unparalleled role in rebuilding the Tibetan language, culture, arts, and the monastic universities of Bon and the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism in exile, ensuring the survival of Tibet’s ancient civilisation. - To Acknowledge His Promotion of Basic Human Values
To express deep appreciation for his tireless efforts in promoting compassion, forgiveness, ethical conduct, and universal responsibility in a world afflicted by conflict and war. - To Reaffirm India’s Respect and Gratitude
To honour His Holiness’s monumental contribution to preserving and revitalising the Nalanda tradition and enriching India’s intellectual and spiritual heritage. - To Recommit Support to the Tibetan People
- To reiterate unwavering solidarity with the Tibetan people in their peaceful struggle to preserve their culture, identity, and environmental heritage.
- To urge the People’s Republic of China to re-engage in substantive dialogue, without preconditions, with representatives of His Holiness the Dalai Lama or democratically elected Tibetan leaders to resolve the Tibet-China issue peacefully.
– Report filed by Tibetan Parliamentary Secretariat
