(TibetanReview.net, Sep06’24) – Mr Tapir Gao, one of the two Lok Sabha (lower house) Member of Parliament from India’s Tibet-border state of Arunachal Pradesh, has on Sep 5 called for the 17th Karmapa’s return to India to manage his institution for the betterment of Buddhism and the Tibetan community in the country.
Gao accompanied the state’s Chief Minister Mr Pema Khandu and other state leaders during a visit to the Gyuto Tantrik Monastery in Dharamshala. The Karmapa Urgyen Trinley Dorjee had stayed here since 2000 as an ‘honoured guest’ India, until he left the country in 2017.
The Karmapa fled Tibet in Dec 1999 at 14 years of age and sought refuge in India, citing lack of religious freedom under Chinese rule.
He left for the USA in 2017 to seek medical treatment and later took up citizenship of the Commonwealth of Dominica.
His application for a visa to visit India in 2018 was reportedly denied and he has since then been unable to enter the country despite persistent efforts especially from the State of Sikkim, home to his exile seat of Rumtek.
During an interview with the ANI news service Sep 5, Gao has expressed his prayers for the Karmapa’s health and stressed his importance in Dharamshala for the well-being of Buddhism and Tibetans. He has also hoped the government would sort out the Karmapa’s visa issues.
The Karmapa is the head of the 900-year-old Karma (or Kamtsang) Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism, of which he is the holder of the oldest lineage of reincarnations. He heads a network of Dharma centres located in North America, Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand, Africa, and South America.