Dalai Lama Expresses Sadness at Loss of Life, Property Caused by Catastrophic Monsoon in Himachal
By Tenzin Chokyi
DHARAMSALA, 9 Sept: The Tibetan spiritual leader, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, has expressed deep sadness and solidarity with the people of Himachal Pradesh following the devastation caused by this year’s monsoon floods in the state, which has been his place of exile for more than six and a half decades.
According to Dalailama.com, the official website of the office of the Dalai Lama, the nanogenerian Tibetan leader has written to Himachal’s Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, expressing his sorrow over the loss of lives and the widespread destruction of property and infrastructure caused by the catastrophic monsoon in the state.
“I would like to offer my prayers and condolences to you, to the families who have lost loved ones, and to everyone affected by this natural disaster,” the Dalai Lama wrote in the letter.
Referring to Himachal Pradesh as his second home for the past 65 years since coming into exile, he added, “I often refer to the state’s Chief Minister as ‘our Chief Minister’. I deeply appreciate the friendship and hospitality that people from all walks of life in Himachal Pradesh have shown me and my fellow Tibetans throughout these years.”
As a gesture of solidarity, the Dalai Lama has directed the Dalai Lama Trust – his principal philanthropic organisation – to contribute to relief and rehabilitation efforts in the state.
The 2025 monsoon floods, which have affected most parts of Himachal Pradesh, hit the districts of Mandi, Kullu, Chamba, and Lahaul-Spiti the hardest, and have been described as “unprecedented in recent years” by the Himachal Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority.
The flooding has led to more than 366 deaths as of early September 2025, with financial losses exceeding ₹4,079 crore since the monsoon began on 20 June 2025.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Modi arrived in Kangra district after conducting an aerial survey of disaster-hit Mandi and Kullu districts. Himachal has also received assistance from several BJP-ruled states, including Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Haryana, Tripura, and Uttar Pradesh, which have announced financial contributions and dispatched trucks loaded with food and relief materials.
Meanwhile, six scattered Tibetan refugee settlements in the Kullu–Manali region have also been impacted, with Dekyiling and Dhobi Palrabling among the most severely affected. While the settlements have suffered infrastructure damage, no casualties have been reported so far.
In addition, the Department of Home of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) released ₹4 lakh on 6 September as an urgent relief fund for cleanup, road restoration, and other immediate needs, according to Phayul.
This year’s devastation marks the second-worst impact on lives, property, and infrastructure in recent years, coming only after 2023, which recorded 441 deaths and losses worth ₹12,000 crore.
