INSTITUTIONS OF TIBETAN, BUDDHIST AND OTHER HISTORICAL STUDIES
Many centuries ago, Indian scholars took arduous journeys across the
Himalayas to Tibet and with them they carried Indian philosophy and
thought. The evolution of Tibetan thought and culture was a consequence
of this interaction.
At the initiative, of Shri. Jawaharlal Nehru, a number of Buddhist Ins-
titutions were started, in India to provide facilities for study in Bud-
dhist Philosophy and Metaphysics with a view to ending the age-old prac-
tice of sending the young Lamas and novices to Tibet for the purpose.
Amongst them were the School of Buddhist Philosophy, Leh set up in 1959
now renamed as the Central Institute of Buddhist Studies, and the Central
Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies, Varanasi, which are fully financed
by this department. The main objectives of these institutions are preserva-
tion of Tibetan culture and tradition and imparting of studies in ancient
and traditional subjects through a modern university framework and con-
ducting research, in Tibetan studies. Besides, Government gives grants to
Sikkim Research Institute of Tibetology Gangtok and Library of Tibetan
Works and Archives, Dharamsala.
Central Institute of Higher Tibetan The Institute of Tibetan Studies was established in Varanasi as a
studies, Varanasi constituent wing of Varanasaya Sanskrit Viswa Vidyalaya. It became a
fully autonomous organisation in 1977 and was renamed as the Central
Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies.
The main objectives of the Institute are :
(a) Preservation of Tibetan Culture and Tradition;
(b) Restoration of ancient Indian Science and Literature Preserved
in Tibetan;
(c) Providing opportunities to border students who formerly avail-
ed themselves of higher education in Tibet; and
(d) Imparting teaching of ancient and traditional subjects through
a modern university educational framework and conducting re-
search in Tibetan Studies with a view to awarding degrees in
these disciplines.
For the achievement of the above objectives, the Institute has a
planned programme of training, research and publication which would
bring to light the Tibetan heritage, particularly a body of knowledge of
the Indian heritage which was lost to Sanskrit and Pali but was preserved
in Tibet. The institute prepares students for various courses of Sampurna-
nand Sanskrit Viswa Vidyalaya. The present strength of the institute is
162 in the academic side and seven reseachers are working on different
projects. The institute organises lecture series, vocational training, edu-
cational tours, etc.
The Institute has a well stacked library to which a large number of
books and photo-copied documents are being added every year.
The Institute has undertaken the construction of a building complex.
The hostel and administrative blocks have been completed and the remain-
ing work to complete the library and academic blocks are in progress.
The Institute is governed by a Board of Management of which the
Additional Secretary in the Department of Culture is the Chairman. In
addition to the Department of Culture, the Ministries or External Affairs,
Finance and Sampurnanand Sanskrit Vishwa Vidyalaya are also represent-
ed in the Board. The Principal, who is ex-officio Director of the Institute,
looks after the day-to-day administration of the Institute.
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Central Institute of Buddhist Studies, The Central Institute of Buddhist Studies, Leh, a fully financed auto-
Leh nomous body of the Department of Culture was established in 1959 for
providing facilities for study in Buddhist Philosophy and Metaphysics to
Young Lamas and novices to compensate the age-old practice of sending
them to Tibet. The basic objectives of the Institute is to train the students
in Buddhist philosophy, literature and arts. The Institute is affiliated to
the Sampurnanand Sanskrit Vishwa. Vidyalaya, and prepares the students
for various courses of the Vishwa Vidyalaya. The Institute grants four
junior fellowships on the pattern of the U.G.C. The Institute also conducts
educational tours and All India seminars on Buddhism. The Institute
has a very good library.
The Institute is managed by a Board of Management of which Addi-
tional Secretary in the Department of Culture is the Chairman and the
representatives of the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of Jammu
Mad Kashmir and Sampurnanand Sanskrit Vishwa Vidyalaya are members.
The Institute proposes to start the construction work of its new complex
on the plot of land allotted for the purpose by the State Government, dur-
ing the financial year.
Sikkim Research Institute of Tibeto- The Institute is an autonomous organisation of Sikkim and has been
logy, Gangtok set up for Research and Studies in Tibetology. The Institute has done
significant work, in promoting research in 'CHHO' (Tibetan for Dharma)
and associate subjects like iconography, medicine, astrology, history,
etc. It publishes a Quarterly Journal, A Bulletin of Tibetology cover-
ing the history, art, culture of Tibet etc. It also provides research
facilities to scholars in Tibetology and allied subjects.
Library of Tibetan Works and Archi- The aims of the Library are to acquire and conserve Tibetan books
ves. Dharmsala and manuscripts to provide intensified reference service to act as a reference
centre for queries on Tibetan source material etc. It has a rich collection
of Tibetan manuscripts, paintings and object d'arts.
The main activities of the Library are : providing research facilities;
acting as a referral centre through the collections of all the manuscripts,
texts, documents and written materials; running of regular courses on Bud-
dhist Philosophy and Tibetan Language Classes; running of schools of
Tibetan traditional wood-carving and Thanka painting, filming documenta-
tion of all the aspects of Tibetan civilisation under its Oral History Pro-
ject : publishing and reprinting of Tibetan texts, research papers, transla-
tions of important Tibetan works including Tibet Journal and Tibetan
Medicine Series; and conducting lectures and seminars from time to time.
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