Dalai Lama congratulates new Karnataka CM

Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, on Thursday congratulated DK Shivakumar on his swearing in as the CM of Karnataka and said the state and its people have extended warmth and hospitality to the Tibetan community settled there.

“Karnataka is home to more than 30,000 Tibetans in exile, the largest concentration of the Tibetan diaspora in India,” the leader said in a letter.

“We are deeply grateful to the state and its people for their enduring friendship and generous support. It is a source of great pride that our principal centres of learning, rooted in the Nalanda tradition of ancient Indian wisdom, have found their home in Karnataka,” he added.

“I take this opportunity to convey our heartfelt appreciation to the State Government and people of Karnataka for the warmth and hospitality they have extended to the Tibetan community settled there.

“I wish you every success in meeting the challenges that may lie ahead, and in honouring the hopes and aspirations of the people of Karnataka, particularly in making a real difference to the lives of its most vulnerable citizens,” he said.

In a separate release, the office of the Tibetan spiritual leader said he will visit New Delhi on Friday to undergo medical treatment on his left knee.

Following his recovery, he is scheduled to travel to Ladakh later this month for an extended stay, a release issued by the office of Dalai Lama said.