After Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Jammu and
Kashmir, Arunchal Pradesh becomes the fourth state in India to receive
the next fully fledged Buddhist Center by the allocation of funds by the
Central government of India.
Its founder, Tsona Gontse Rinpoche,
announced The Central Institute of Himalayan Culture Studies at Dahung
in West Kameng District will now attain the status as a result of its
New Delhi’s recognition.
In the West Kameng District, where the
institute is located, the majority of people, and 13 percent of the
population of the people of Arunchal Pradesh follow Buddhism. India’s
largest monastery Tawang is also in Arunchal Pradesh.
The institute, conceived by Rinpoche in
2000, had received the approval of the Union Cabinet on May 26, 2010
with a one time project cost estimated at Rs 9 crore and a recurring
annual cost of Rs 124.86 lakh.
“It began with a central government grant of
Rs 97 lakh and has since grown into a good institute to fill the vacuum
in imparting education on Buddhism,” the Rinpoche asserted. ”I had
pursued the Centre to establish such an institute considering the large
number of Buddhist population residing in the Northeast,” he said.
He pointed out that with only 25 faculty
members and limited infrastructures, the institute has so far produced
two batches (18 each) of Shastri (equivalent to BA in Buddhist
Philosophy) degree holders.
According to the Rinpoche, Besides
teaching arts and crafts supporting self-sufficiency, sustainable
development and the preservation of ethnic identity as a means of
national integrity, the institute has been inculcating an awareness on
ecological balance and preservation of natural resources.
He said the other three institutes are:
Nava Nalanda Mahavihara, a deemed university, the Central University for
Tibetan Studies, Sarnath, Varanasi, and the Central Institute for
Higher Buddhist Studies, Leh.