His Holiness launches Shanta Kumar and his wife’s books
By Lobsang Tenchoe
DHARAMSALA, Nov 1: His Holiness the Dalai Lama today launched books written by BJP Parliamentarian Shanta Kumar and his wife Santosh Shailja at an event held at the courtyard of the main temple in Mcleod Ganj, Dharamsala.
The event was attended by several Indian dignitaries, cabinet members of the Central Tibetan Administration, Tibetan parliamentarians and hundreds of local Tibetans and supporters.
The Tibetan spiritual leader as the Chief Guest for the occasion launched three books at the event, ‘Himalaya Par Lal Chhaya’ written by Shanta Kumar, ‘If Autumn Comes’ written by Santosh Shailja and a book on Shanta’s life, ‘Sahityasewi Rajneta Shanta Kumar’ written by Dr Hemraj Koushik.
Passionately calling Shanta Kumar an old friend, His Holiness said he was delighted that he could attend the event.
“I applaud and thank Shanta for penning a book on history as he recollected and witnessed. History shouldn’t be written with political motivation as is often the case, as it will become a source of knowledge to younger people of our generation and generations to come,” the Tibetan Noble laureate stressed.
“The conflicts and the world wars in the 20th century has killed more than 200 million people. We should learn from our mistakes and strive to make the 21st century a century of peace and non violence in accordance with the Indian tradition of ahimsa. Violence breeds greed and hatred the remedy for misery and suffering,” the Dalai Lama added.
The former Himachal Chief Minister praised the Dalai Lama as a global peace icon and thanked him for blessing his his book once again as he reprints it after 50 years.
“I thank the Dalai Lama for blessing my book again as I reprint it after 50 years. I have never heard the Dalai Lama speak ill of China, not a word despite the genocide in Tibet and repressive rule under the Chinese regime. The Dalai Lama has become the champion of peace and nonviolence in the world and a peace apostle,” Shanta Kumar said.
Shanta’s book in Hindi titled ‘Himalaya par Lal Chhaya’ (Red shadow over Himalaya) was written after the Sino-India war in 1962 and reprinted after 50 years.
