It was a conference with a difference with the best of scholars and experts. Everyone learnt a lot and enjoyed the serene and spiritual environment of Dharamshala. The Tibet Policy Institute had organised a 4-day conference in conjunction with the celebration of His Holiness Dalai Lama’s 90 th Birth Day anniversary and to mark the year of compassion  in  Dharamshala  from  September  3–7,  2025.  The conference organised by the Tibet Policy Institute, Dharamshala, was a joint venture of the Dalai Lama Institute for Higher Education at Bangalore, the College of Higher Tibetan Studies at Dharamshala and Monlam IT and Research Centre at Dharamshala.

The conference was attended by several Geshes, Khenpos, monks and scores of scholars hailing from the Himalayan regions of India, Nepal  and  Bhutan. Among  the  many  visions  of  conducting  the conference  was  to  determine  the  ancient  ties  and  current  bond between Tibet and the Himalaya royal families. The significance of the conference was an amalgamation of both the young and old enthusiastic scholars including members of the royal families of the Himalayas engaged in the study of Tibetan culture and civilization drawn from the entire Indian Himalayan region such as Arunachal, Sikkim, Himachal and Ladakh, and score of scholars also from the plains of the country and neighbouring Nepal, Bhutan. One of the highlights of the conference was the participation of some of the descendants of the royal families of Ladakh, Himachal, Sikkim, Arunachal and Nepal and their presence turned out to be an additional chapter in exploring the ancient ties and current bond between Tibet and the Himalayas.

In the paper presentation session, scholars read out their articles on Tibetan Buddhism to Tibet’s trade relations with neighbouring states and spread of Dharma to various regions. A good number of Ladakhi writers too presented their papers. Stanzin Dazang Namgail presented a paper on Genealogy of Zangla Lineage of Ladakh, Diskit Kunzes Angmo on Genealogy of Matho Khar, Gelong Thupstan Paldan on his study as a monk at Drepung Gonpa in Lhasa before 1959; Professor Siddiq Wahid on Tibet’s Relations with the Himalayas in  History;  Dr.  Rinzin  Dolma  on Trade  and  ties: The  legacy  of Ladakh’s Traders Families, Padma Angmo on Resilience and Adoption in Changthang: Sustaining Pastoral Heritage in the Changthang Himalayas; Dr. Stanzin Mingur on war and diplomacy in the Western Himalayas:  dGa  ldan  tse  dbang’s  17  th  Century  Campaign  into Ladakh, and its Aftermath; Khenpo Konchok Standar on Which Race First Penetrated in Ladakh; Dr. Tsangtruk Topla on Reflection of Ladakh Urgyan Puthit and Queen Nyilza Wangmo in Tibetan History; Dr. Tsewang Gyaltsan on the Impetus to study of Ladakhi dialect and language in Context of present Tibetan Geo-politics scenario, and Nawang  Tsering  Shakspo  presented  his  paper  on  the  topic Reflections on Mt. Kailash and Mansarovar in Ladakhi Folk Songs.

One of the speakers from Himachal was Gyan Sagar Negi born in the family of highly acclaimed legendary Negi Lama, popularly A fruitful 4-day conference on Tibet-Himalaya Relations known as Khunu Lama Stanzin Gyatsan. Gyan Sagar said that among the many Buddhist scholars, Negi Lama who had an audience with Mahatma Gandhi, and when Gandhiji enquired which Buddhist book he would suggest, he told Gandhiji to read Bodhipathapradipa by Atisha  Dipankara  Jana, and  to  the  common people,  Negi  Lama suggested to read the words of my perfect Teacher, Kun bzang bla mai Zhal lung by Patul Rinpoche.

Earlier,  a  grand  opening  and  reception  ceremony  was held,  attended  by  Mr.  Pema  Tsering,  Sikyong,  Central  Tibetan Administration,  Khenpo  Sonam  Tenphel,  Speaker,  Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile (TPIE) and Mr. Dawa Tsering, Director, Tibet Policy Institute (TPI). A message from His Holiness the Dalai Lama too was read out. An important thing to happen during the conference was getting an audience with His Holiness. This programme lasted for about an hour and each and every participant got the opportunity to exchange scholarly words with His Holiness.

The 4-day long conference came to an end with the presentation of a colourful cultural show by the artistes of the Tibetan Performing Institute followed by a grand farewell dinner.

Among the many acquaintances of mine at the conference was Dr. SonamWangyal with his wife Dikila from Siliguri.

It was in the year 2010, exactly 15 years before that I had met Dr. Wangyal on  the occasion of the celebrations of  50 Years of Tibetans in exile organised by the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives, in Dharamshala. Some other Tibetan scholars too were there, such as Tashi Tsering, with whom I had first attended a seminar of International Association of Tibetan Studies in the year 1982 at New York.

Having said all this, I would add that the Dharamsala seminar was really an occasion to share my experiences with the Tibetan scholars engaged in Tibetan studies. And, for me, it was a learning session on the increasing ties between the Tibetan community and the Indian Himalayans.