His Holiness the Dalai Lama conferred with 10th KISS Humanitarian Award

By Lobsang Tenchoe

DHARAMSALA, Nov 22: His Holiness the Dalai lama was honored with the 10th KISS Humanitarian Award at the Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) on Tuesday in Bhubaneshwar, Odisha.

Saswati Bal, the president of KIIT University KISS and Professor Achyuta Samanta, founder of KIIT University and KISS, conferred the award to the Tibetan spiritual leader before an audience of 27,000 students and a host of dignitaries at the campus of the Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) University.

2017-11-21-Odisha-N02_A7R4654
Image- Tenzin Choejor, OHHDL

The award citation recognised the Tibetan Nobel laureate’s “concern for the oppressed human beings from all over the world in need of compassion.”

His Holiness the Dalai Lama called for making the 21st century a century of peace and compassion in his acceptance speech.

“Although killing has continued since the beginning of the 21st century, steps should be taken to make this a century of peace. Since peace is destroyed by negative emotions like anger and jealousy, we have to find ways to develop inner peace if we are to create peace in the world. It’s worth asking yourself whether you feel happy when you’re angry. Anger and extreme irritation all too easily lead to violence. So, how are we to reduce anger? By increasing our sense of love and compassion” a report on the Tibetan Nobel Peace laureate’s official website dalailama.com stated.

The Tibetan spiritual leader concluded by urging young Indians to learn from ancient Indian knowledge on the workings of the mind and emotions.

“The modern world lacks moral principles and doesn’t understand how to tackle negative emotions. Because of this, what we can learn from ancient Indian knowledge of the workings of the mind and emotions can be very relevant today. Many Indians today neglect this knowledge, but I am encouraging young Indians I meet, like you, to pay attention to it because it’s on the basis of this kind of understanding that we can build a more compassionate society,” the Dalai Lama concluded.

KISS Humanitarian Award was started in 2008 to recognize and honour individuals who have made outstanding contribution to humanity. His Holiness the Dalai Lama became the first Nobel Peace laureate to receive the award.