Sikkim celebrates Dalai Lama’s birthday

GANGTOK, 06 July: The 76th Birthday of the 14th Dalai Lama was celebrated here at the Sera-jey Dho-phenling Monastery at Chandmari today. The celebration was hosted by the Tibetan Settlement Office, Gangtok, Panjha Kiduk and the Tibetan Youth Club.
Addressing the congregation, chief guest NK Pradhan, Minister of Human Resource Development paid homage to the Dalai Lama, stressing that his teachings were for the well being of mankind.

“The Sikkim Government has never taken the Tibetan people as refugees and have always treated them equally as the other residents of the State,” he said and added that the government has done everything possible for the welfare of the community and will keep doing so in the coming days.
The celebrations, which will continue till Wednesday, had Sonam Gyatso, Minister for Energy and Power Department, Dorjee Namgyal, MLA Gangtok, Deputy Mayor and Councilors from the Gangtok Municipal Corporation and a huge number of devotees attending the function.
A cultural programme was also performed by students of Thumbi Sambota School, personnel from the Tibetan Settlement Camp at Ravangla and by a troupe from Kalimpong, West Bengal, while an exhibition titled “Journey in exile & long look home ward” was also opened by the chief guest.