Tenzin Nyidon
DHARAMSHALA, July 8: In a renewed show of solidarity with the Tibetan spiritual leader, 80 Indian lawmakers across party lines have endorsed a call to confer the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honour, upon His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, as he marked his 90th birthday on July 6.
The initiative is spearheaded by the All-Party Indian Parliamentary Forum for Tibet (APIPFT), a cross-party platform comprising Members of Parliament from various political parties, including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Biju Janata Dal (BJD), and Janata Dal (United). In addition to the Bharat Ratna recommendation, the forum also called on the Indian Parliament to invite the Dalai Lama to address a joint sitting of both Houses, marking what would be an unprecedented moment in India’s legislative history.
Forum convener and BJD MP Sujeeth Kumar announced that a ten-member APIPFT committee had launched a nationwide signature campaign in support of awarding the Bharat Ratna to the Dalai Lama. “Many MPs have come forward, and some have even sent video messages supporting the campaign,” Kumar said. “We will be writing to the Speaker of Lok Sabha and the Chairperson of Rajya Sabha to convene a joint sitting, which will be addressed by His Holiness.” A total of 80 MPs have signed the petition, with the goal of reaching 100 before officially submitting the memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Droupadi Murmu.
The forum further urged MPs to push for the implementation of the 2014 Tibetan Rehabilitation Policy (TRP 2014) by liaising with state administrations to ensure land rights and essential amenities in Tibetan settlements. It also praised the recent pro-Tibet bill passed by the U.S. backing Tibetan autonomy and called for similar legislation in the Indian Parliament.
The APIPFT, which was formed in December last year, had drawn strong criticism from Beijing following its inaugural meeting. However, members of the forum have remained steadfast in their support for the Tibetan cause and the Dalai Lama’s leadership.
Prominent members of the forum include BJP MPs Ashok Bajpai, Lahar Singh Siroya, Vinay Dinu Tendulkar, Rajendra Agrawal, and Tapir Gao, who serves as the forum’s co-convenor. Forum members voiced strong opposition to China’s interference in the process of identifying the Dalai Lama’s reincarnation, stressing that only the Tibetan people have the right to determine the spiritual succession of their leader.
MP Tapir Gao also proposed the organization of a mass rally in support of Tibet to raise public awareness, and recommended that the Dalai Lama be invited to address the Central Hall of Parliament on themes such as peace and compassion.
This call echoes a similar resolution passed earlier this year in March by the Indian Himalayan Council of Nalanda Buddhist Tradition, which lauded the Dalai Lama’s contribution to preserving Himalayan Buddhist traditions and his lifelong dedication to peace and nonviolence. The Council had urged the Indian government to honour the Dalai Lama with the Bharat Ratna in time for his milestone 90th birthday on July 6, 2025.
Over the years, several political leaders have supported the demand, including former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Shanta Kumar and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who had previously stated that honoring the Dalai Lama would reflect India’s gratitude for his lifelong advocacy of truth, nonviolence, and compassion.
The renewed call to honour the Dalai Lama comes amid the spiritual leader’s 90th birthday celebrations and growing global support for Tibet. This momentum also coincides with escalating geopolitical tensions between India and China, particularly over the issue of the Dalai Lama’s reincarnation. China recently criticised India after the Minister of Parliamentary and Minority Affairs, Kiren Rijiju, affirmed on July 3 that, in accordance with Tibetan Buddhist tradition, only the Dalai Lama has the authority to decide on his own reincarnation.
