Arunachal Pradesh CM advocates Bharat Ratna for Dalai Lama
Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu is urging the central government to award the Bharat Ratna—the country's top civilian honor—to the Dalai Lama.
He says the Tibetan spiritual leader has played a huge role in spreading Buddhism and its values in India, and he's not on board with China's claims about choosing the next Dalai Lama, pointing out that Tibetan Buddhism is not practiced in mainland China like it is in Tibet and the Himalayan regions of India.
Global recognition of the Dalai Lama
Khandu highlighted how, since arriving in India in 1959 after fleeing Tibet, the Dalai Lama has set up key monasteries—especially in southern India—that have helped Buddhist communities thrive.
The recent 90th birthday celebrations for the Dalai Lama in Dharamshala drew guests from all over the world, showing just how far his influence reaches.