Dharamshala: An Interfaith Prayer Ceremony was solemnly organised by the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile (TPiE) on Friday, 19th December 2025, at Raj Ghat, Delhi, to commemorate the 90th Birth Anniversary of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. The prayer meet was held from 10:30 am to 11:30 am in the serene and symbolic surroundings of Mahatma Gandhi’s Samadhi, reflecting the shared values of peace, compassion, non-violence, and inter-religious harmony championed by both leaders.
The program began with an introduction delivered by the Hon’ble Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, Khenpo Sonam Tenphel. In his opening remarks, the Speaker highlighted the lifelong commitment of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to promoting universal responsibility, harmony among religions, and the message of peace across cultures and nations. He emphasised the relevance of interfaith unity in today’s world and expressed gratitude to all religious representatives for their participation.
Following the introduction, Tibetan Buddhist monks offered opening prayers, invoking peace, wisdom, and compassion for all sentient beings. The chanting created a contemplative atmosphere, setting a reverent tone for the ceremony.
A floral tribute was then paid at the Gandhi Samadhi by the dignitaries and representatives, honouring Mahatma Gandhi’s legacy of non-violence and moral leadership, values deeply respected and upheld by His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
The core of the program featured prayer offerings of two to five minutes by representatives from various religious traditions. Prayers were offered sequentially by representatives of the Baha’i, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Islamic, Jewish, Parsi, and Sikh communities. Each prayer reflected the unique spiritual traditions of the respective faiths while conveying a shared aspiration for peace, harmony, compassion, and the well-being of humanity. The interfaith participation stood as a powerful testament to unity in diversity and mutual respect among religions.
After the prayer offerings, a group photograph was taken to commemorate the occasion and to symbolise collective solidarity in honouring His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s vision of interfaith harmony.
The Interfaith Prayer Ceremony successfully reaffirmed the universal values espoused by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and underscored the importance of dialogue, tolerance, and cooperation among different faith traditions in building a more peaceful world.
The representatives from different religious faiths included Tanu Gandhi from Baha’i, Bante Wangi from Buddhism, Dr. Fr. Norbert Herman from Christianity, Ms. Dolly Gupta from Hinduism, Shaab Naseem from Islam, Dr. (Rabbi) Ezekiel Isaac Malekar from Judaism, Rev. Marazban Nariman Zaiwalla from Zoarastain, and Ajmer Singh from Sikhism. Dr. Indu Jain, representing Jainism, was unable to attend the event due to unavoidable circumstances; however, she conveyed her prayers and solidarity in honour of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s vision of interfaith harmony.
The gathering was also attended by the Tibetan community of Delhi, led by the Tibetan Settlement Officer of Samyeling, Dorjee, alongside members from Interfaith Coalition for Peace (ICP), National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of India, Maha Bodhi Society, Association of Catholic Enquiry Centres–India, Zakat Foundation of India, God’s Grace Foundation, among others.
– Report filed by Tibetan Parliamentary Secretariat
