CIBS Ph.D. Scholars came forward to help the teachers and University students
CIBS Ph.D. Scholars came forward to help the teachers and University students to make sure no student will be left out from receiving class works and assignments of first semester of the academic year 2020-21 during the lockdown caused by Covid-19 Pandemic. A committee is formed consisting of following members:
1. Khanpo Jamyang Kunzang, Lecturer
2. Dr Sonam Wangchok, PRO
3. Rev. Tsering Dorjey, Ph.D Scholar
4. Shri Tsetan Tonyot, Ph.D Scholar
5. Shri Thupstan Rigzin, Ph.D Scholar
6. Shri Thupstan Dorjay, Ex President, SWC
The committee is in process of contacting each student to find out whether they have internet access and receiving online classes. The committee is also discussing ways to send study materials from class teachers to students living in remote areas of Ladakh (Zanskar, Changthang and Nubra) who have no internet connection. The committee will co-ordinate with the teachers, students and the examination department of the institute during the lockdown period.
Continuing the students’ exchange programme initiated by Central Institute of Buddhist Studies (CIBS) Leh and Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies (CUTS), thirteen students from CIBS were sent to CUTS, Varanasi during the winter vacation 2019-20 for two months.
On arrival the students interacted with the officials of CUTS, members of Student Welfare Committee, CUTS and the Ladakhi students studying in Varanasi. From next day onwards the students decided to attend the ongoing classes at CUTS and they also requested Prof. Wangchuk Negi and Geshe Biri Jigmed Wangyal to conduct special classes for the visiting students. Accepting their request, Prof. Wangchuk Negi has conducted special classes on Bodhisattva Carya Vatara (Fundamental Mahayana Work by Shantideva) and special classes were also conducted by Ven. Tashi Gyalpo, Ven. Lhakpa Tsering, Ven. Biri Wangchuk and Shri Jamyang Tundup for different subjects including Tibetan Grammar, Language and Literature. The Ladakhi Students Welfare Association organized discussions on different topics twice a week especially for the visiting students. Questions and answer sessions were also conducted with Acharya Lotus on every Friday.
A site visit for students organized by the Students’ Welfare Committee, CUTS was guided by Shri Urgyan to the sacred and historical sites at Saranath. Meditation sessions followed by questions and answers were conducted by Ramesh Chandra Negi and the president of Students’ Welfare Committee, CUTS Stanzin Stanskyong delivered talk on different methodologies for translations.
The Ladakh Students Welfare Association organized an interaction session where all visiting students expressed their views and experiences. At last the visiting students thanked Ladakh Students Welfare Association, Varanasi for their guidance, supports and for organizing interaction sessions.
At last an interaction with the Vice Chancellor of CUTS Prof. Nawang Smastan was organized. Prof. Nawang Samstan inquired visiting students about their experiences and benefits from the exchange programme. Prof. Samstan also gave precious advices to the students. After two months of successful visit to CUTS in Varanasi, students got back to Ladakh on 14th February 2020. On arrival the students thanked Director, CIBS Prof. Konchok Wangdu and all concerned academic and non-academic staff involved in organizing the exchange programme.
An election was held among the students of the inter-houses of the institute on 3rd March, 2020 to elect new executive members of the Students’ Welfare Committee (SWC), CIBS, Leh. Stanzin Targyas, student of Shastri-lll has been nominated as president of the SWC by the elected members of all three houses for the academic session 2020-21. As per the institute’s norms, the newly elected president has nominated the following as executive members/members of the SWC.
Stanzin Dolma – Vice President
Stanzin Tsewang – General Secretary
Stanzin Mingyur – Joint Secretary
Tashi Dorjay – Treasurer
Urgyan Tsultrim – Assistant Treasurer
Stanzin Lundup – Head Discipline Committee
Tsering Choton – Member of Discipline Committee
Jigmet Yangskit – Member of Discipline Committee
Stanzin Angbo – Medical In-charge
Nawang Gyaltson – Culture Committee
Skarma Chuskit – Culture Committee
Konchok Namgyal – Culture Committee
Sherap Dorjey – Environment
Tsewang Spalbar – Sport In-charge
Dean, Student Welfare Committee Geshe Dakpa Kalsang and concerned teachers were also present during the election. On behalf of the academic and non-academic staff of CIBS, Leh, the Director Professor Konchok Wangdu extends heartiest congratulation to the newly elected members of SWC and wish for successes in the field of education as well as in co-curricular activities to be undertaken by the SWC, CIBS Leh. The director also appreciated the service rendered by the outgoing members for SWC in particular and CIBS in general.
The International Women’s Day with the theme “I am Generation Equality: Realizing Women’s Rights” was celebrated at Central Institute of Buddhist Studies (Deemed to be University)under the kind guidance of Geshey Konchok Wangdu, director of the institute. Since it was holiday on 8th, the day was celebrated on 7th of March 2020 with great enthusiasm. While dedicating the day to honor the female staff of the institute, CIBS organized a special interactive session focusing on Women’s Rights and Women’s Health.One resource persons from District Police, Leh and Two resource person from CMO, Leh were invited to speak on the above essential topics respectively.The day commenced with lightening the lamp of wisdom by the chief guest assisted by the director of the institute while honoring the guests with khatags afterward. Two female students from Sowa-Rigpa and Shastri III each were awarded for visiting and issuing maximum number of books from the library to instill inspiration among other students.
While addressing the audience in his welcome speech Geshey Konchok Wangdus emphasized on the greatest role of women as an educator who is the first teacher a child learns from. A woman as a mother is the source and the form of compassion and kindness.She is the agent who brings change and stability in the world. Throughout history women has played the crucial role of ensuring stability primarily in the family and society leading towards stability and progress of a nation. They have championed in every fields be it science, technology, medicine, agriculture, politics or any other areas while transcending the barriers of the oppressive patriarchal social structure.Emphasizing on the importance of girls’ education Geshey la said that women has to realize her rights and capabilities through education and exercise her potentials very vigorously to lead the world on the path of sustainable social, political, economic and climatic structure.
Interacting with the students and staff Ms Stanzin Tseyangs clinical psychologist and Mrs Dechen Dolker counsellor at SNM Hospital, Leh dealt with women’s health and spoke on the psychological, physical and emotional changes and impediments that a woman has to go through in her life and the ways to tackle them. On the other hand Mrs Talisma Parvin SHO, Women Police, Leh spoke on women’s rights and emphasized on creating awareness about women’s rights against the layers of violence that occur against women in the society. She also spoke elaborately on cyber-crime that happens especially against women with the misuse of technology and the means for cyber security in terms of women’s safety and rights. The program followed with an interactive and vibrant question and answer session in which students put forward their queries in terms of women’s health and rights very curiously and were addressed by the speakers compressively and elaborately. It was ended with the vote of thanks from Miss Diskit Chorol, Lect. in Economic, CIBS.
Acting Chief Executive Councillor, LAHDC, Kargil Aga Syed Mujtaba Mosavi inaugurated nine days free basic course on Purgi/Balti/Bhoti/Ladakhi script (Yige) jointly organized by the Central Institute of Buddhist Studies (CIBS) Leh, Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) Kargil, and Ladakh Academy of Art, Culture and Languages Kargil on the occasion of the International Mother Language Day on 21st February, 2020.
The acting CEC in his address while appreciating the initiative of the CIBS and the Ladakh Academy of Art, Culture and Languages Kargil for organizing the free Yige (script) course in the district expressed optimism that the step will go a long way in enlightening the speakers of Purgi and Balti languages residing in Kargil about the Yige script which is the actual script of their mother tongue.
Syed Mujtaba stated that it is through language that the identity of an individual and community is ascertained and script is the medium to preserve and promote it in its true essence. He urged the participants to show keen enthusiasm and interest in different sessions of the course so that they may able to acquire as much as knowledge on the scripting patterns of Yige.
Director CIBS Prof. KonchoK Wangdu in his address stress on the importance of mother tongue for unity, peace building, inner development and reconciliation which is also the theme of International Mother Language Day 2020. Meanwhile Dr Konchok Rigzin gave the introduction to the nine-day Yige course.
Dr Sonam Wangchok, Skarma Junglay, Muhammad Yasin Ansari and Muhammad Sadiq Hardassi also spoke in details about the importance of mother tongue and vernacular expressions and their role in imparting knowledge in any field.
Among others who were present on the occasion included Course Coordinator and Copy Editor RNU, AIR, Kargil Anayat Ali, Tsewang Rigzin from Culture Academy and a number of district officers, prominent writers, scholars and poets, course participants and a large number of cultural and literary enthusiasts.
Pertinently, more than 50 participants shall be imparted training on the indigenous script, Yige during the 10 day long programme.
Central Institute of Buddhist Studies (Deemed to be University) in collaboration with LAHDC, Kargil and Ladakh Academy of Art, Culture and Languages Kargil is organizing 9-day Yige (the indigenous script of Purgi/Balti/Ladakhi etc) Workshop in Kargil from 21st to 29th February, 2020. The workshop will be inaugurated on the occasion of the International Mother Language Day on 21 February, 2020 in the Culture Academy Language Centre, Kargil. Interested people may register their names in the office of the Ladakh Academy of Art, Culture and Languages Kargil till 20th February, 2020.
Central Institute of Buddhist Studies (Deemed to be University) organizes Bharat Darshan (educational tour) for students during every winter vacation. During the educational tour the students visit important historical and archeological sites in different states of India. This year the students were taken to Bihar, Varanasi, Lumbini, Nagarjuna Sagar in Hyderabad, Buddhist centres and monastic institutions in Karnataka, south India, Goa and Delhi. The students also visited several academic and botanical sites and institutions in different states of the country.
Conference, debate and interactive session with the monks and scholars were also organized in educational institutions. The students had a very fruitful interaction session with the Vice Chancellor Nalanda Mahavihara in Bihar where they also had chance to see the Nalanda campus museum. In Varanasi, Dr. Wangchuk Dorjey Negi guided them to the Buddhist sites. They also participated in discussion session with the students studying in Varanasi. During this Tashi Yangdol from CIBS gave a presentation on Four Noble Truth and Stanzin Chosrab introduced Sowa Rigpa and prevention of diseases. During this Dr. Wangchuk Negi gave a precious advice to the students about individual responsibility and education for world peace. He highlighted the importance of Nalanda tradition of education system that students should learn during such educational tours. On same day the students studying in Varanasi hosted a grand New Year celebration and the students of CIBS Leh got a special invitation.
In Bangalore, the students were hosted by the Dalai Lama Institute for Higher Studies. While staying here the students participated in talks and discussion with scholars from the Dalai Lama Institute for Higher Studies on topics such as Buddhism and modern science, importance of secular ethics and several other subject related to Buddhist studies. In Karnataka the students got opportunity to interact with eminent Geshe and scholars in Sera Jey, Tashi Lunpo, Drepung Losseling, Namdoling and Kagyu Gonpa. The students also visited several religious, historical, botanical and archeological sites in Mysore and Goa. The students were guided by two teachers, Geshe Dakpa Kalsang and Konchok Nawang.
At the completion of the tour Geshe Dakpa Kalsang expressed gratitude to all the individuals and institutions that supported the students group in terms of providing board and lodge, organizing talks and discussions and introducing them to historical sites. On their return, the director CIBS, Prof. Konchok Wangdu said that the aim of the Bharat Darshan is to enhance the knowledge of the students through interaction, discussions and dialogue with scholars and students of other institutions and give them exposure to important sites in the country. Prof. Konchok Wangdu also expressed thanks to all the people who helped the students from CIBS during their educational tour.
Leuturer in Sanskrit Boudh Darshan
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts ( IGNCA) New Delhi and Central Institute of Buddhist Studies (CIBS), a Deemed to be University in New Delhi. The MOU was signed by the Director CIBS, Prof Geshe Konchok Wangdu and Head of the Department of Cultural Archives and Conservation and Associate Professor of Museology and Conservation, Achal Pandya. The collaboration was proposed by the Public Relation Officer CIBS, Dr Sonam Wangchok and painting conservation expert, Sanjay Dhar in earlier meetings. A meeting was also held with Dr Sachchidanand Josh, Member Secretary, IGNCA to discuss varied capacities of the two institutions. Both the institutions will explore areas of mutual interest and identify specific objectives, that will promote common objectives through sharing of human resources and physical and financial capacities. By highlighting literary works of Rahul Sanskrityayan, Dr Sachchidanand Josh, Member Secretary IGNCA has also proposed for collaboration in literary works and research.
A proposed programme that will be developed in collaboration shall include workshop on Thangka painting and conservation at CIBS Leh, workshop on manuscripts conservation, developing a laboratory and documentation centre at CIBS Ladakh, developing stores in monasteries for preventive conservation, exchange programme for students and resource persons, literary works and publications. CIBS will also collaborate with IGNCA on exhibition showcasing the achievements of the Department of Traditional Scroll/Fresco Painting, Department of Traditional Sculpture and Department of Wood Block Carving to highlight cultural achievements of CIBS Leh.
In order to preserve large number of significant thangka paintings and manuscripts with monasteries, a capacity building programme piloted by the Conservation Department of IGNCA will also be developed. This programme will be located at CIBS campus in Leh, where a specialised laboratory and documentation centre for preservation of Buddhist paintings and manuscripts will be developed of international standards.
IGNCA and CIBS are institutions under the Ministry of Culture (Govt of India), sharing common goals including promotion of art, culture and rich heritage of the country. It is therefore, with this aim, both the institutions have agreed to collaborate and compliment their capacities for preservation of rich and diverse heritage in Himalayan region.