Excelsior Correspondent
LEH, July 15: In a significant political and cultural move, all nine Congress Party councillors of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) Leh, led by Leader of Opposition Tsering Namgyal, today urged the Hill Council to convene a special session to pass a resolution recommending India’s highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna for His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama.
In this regard, the councillors met chief executive councillor Tashi Gyalson and submitted a written appeal, emphasizing the Dalai Lama’s profound spiritual and cultural bond with the people of Ladakh.
They stated, “His Holiness is not only a globally respected figure but also the most cherished and spiritually central presence in the lives of the people of Ladakh.”
They underscored the Dalai Lama’s enduring influence in the region through his teachings and repeated visits, which they said have brought “immense guidance, warmth and comfort.”
Quoting the Dalai Lama’s own words describing himself as a “Son of India,” the letter highlighted how he has relied on Indian food and the Nalanda tradition of Indian wisdom for over six decades.
“Conferring the Bharat Ratna on His Holiness would not only be a national honour, but a tribute to the values he has upheld throughout his life peace, truth, nonviolence and universal compassion,” the councillors wrote.
With the Dalai Lama currently residing in Ladakh, the Congress councillors described this as a “sacred opportunity” to recognize his legacy.
“There could be no better time than now to honour him with our collective voice,” the letter urged.
They concluded that such a gesture would reflect the “unwavering faith, devotion and love of the people of Ladakh,” while reaffirming their place in a historic national appeal.
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