Bhubaneswar: Bakul Foundation, in collaboration with the Tibetan Government-in-Exile, organized an exhibition on the Life and Legacy of His Holiness the Dalai Lama at the Bakul Library here on Tuesday.
Held a week ahead of the 91st birthday of His Holiness, the event also marked the Tibetan observance of 2026 as the Year of Compassion, celebrating the universal values of compassion, peace and non-violence championed by the Dalai Lama.
The exhibition featured a rare collection of photographs documenting the extraordinary life of His Holiness—from his childhood and coronation in Tibet to his dramatic escape from Tibet and arrival in India in 1959. Visitors also viewed photographs of the Dalai Lama with Indian leaders beginning with his first meeting with Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in Mussoorie after his arrival in India, as well as interactions with subsequent Indian leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Another section showcased his meetings with world leaders such as Barack Obama and Nelson Mandela. The programme also included a screening of an unreleased documentary on the Dalai Lama’s escape from Tibet.
The exhibition was inaugurated by Rajya Sabha MP Sujeet Kumar, Convenor of the Indian Parliamentary Forum for Tibet and one of the strongest voices advocating the Tibetan cause in the Indian Parliament. He was joined by Dr Rabi Narayan Behera, Honourable MP, Jajpur, Karma Sangpo, Chief Representative of the Tibetan Government-in-Exile in Odisha, and two academics, who have undertaken extensive research on the Tibetan community in Odisha, Prof. Kanhu Satpathy of the Department of Anthropology, Utkal University, and Dr Madhusmita Jena, Faculty of Political Science, BJB College.
Welcoming the gathering, Sujit Mahapatra, Founder of Bakul Foundation, said that Bakul has consistently worked to promote multicultural understanding and dialogue. He said it was an honour to host an exhibition celebrating the life and values of the Dalai Lama. He also expressed satisfaction that the event had brought together Tibetan community leaders, public representatives supporting the Tibetan cause, and scholars researching Tibetan life in Odisha. Remarking that many of them were interacting with one another for the first time, he expressed hope that this emerging network would strengthen awareness and support for the Tibetan cause in the state.
In his inaugural address, Sujeet Kumar said he had been advocating for the Tibetan cause for more than twenty-six years, long before entering politics, and had the privilege of meeting His Holiness the Dalai Lama on numerous occasions. He spoke about the deep civilizational and spiritual relationship between India and Tibet, recalling the Dalai Lama’s often-quoted observation that “India is the Guru and Tibet is the Chela.” Stressing the importance of narratives, he said he consciously refers to the frontier as the India–Tibet border rather than the India–China border and urged others to adopt the same terminology while supporting the Tibetan cause.
Addressing the gathering, Dr Rabi Narayan Behera said he was delighted to participate in the exhibition because of his longstanding interest in Buddhism. He highlighted the historic significance of Pushpagiri Mahavihara, spread across Ratnagiri, Udayagiri and Lalitgiri in his parliamentary constituency, describing it as one of the world’s earliest centres of higher learning. He also recalled the association of Padmasambhava, who played a pivotal role in spreading Buddhism in Tibet, with Pushpagiri, underlining Odisha’s enduring links with Tibetan Buddhist heritage.
The exhibition attracted a large number of school and college students. Students of Class VII from DAV Public School, Pokhariput, shared that they knew very little about the Dalai Lama before visiting the exhibition. They said they were deeply inspired by his life and were fascinated to learn how members of the Tibetan community have integrated into Odisha while preserving their unique cultural identity, with many speaking fluent Odia.
The exhibition served as an opportunity for visitors, particularly young people, to learn about the life of one of the world’s most respected spiritual leaders and to reflect on the enduring values of compassion, resilience and peaceful coexistence.
