Promoting Buddhist studies, art and culture in India

The Minister of State (I/c) of Culture and Tourism Prahlad Singh Patel said that to provide education in Buddhist philosophies, culture, and Art and to promote research in different aspects of Buddhism, preserve ancient Buddhist manuscripts, digitize ancient Buddhist text preserved in the languages of Pali, Sanskrit, Tibetan, Chinese, Japanese and other Asian languages through the system of a modern university, the Ministry has established one institute namely “Central  Institute of Himalayan Culture Studies” (CIHCS), Dahung, Arunachal Pradesh and taken over the following three Institutions, which have been granted Deemed University Status by UGC :

Nava Nalanda Mahavihara, Nalanda (NNM), Bihar

Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies (CIHTS), Sarnath, Varanasi

Central Institute of Buddhist Studies (CIBS), Leh, UT of Ladakh

 In addition to the aforesaid four Autonomous Buddhist Educational Institutes, Ministry of Culture also provides annual grants-in-aid to the following six Grantee Bodies for promoting Buddhist Culture and Art:

Library of Tibetan Works and Archives, Dharamshala   

Tibet House, New Delhi

Centre for Buddhist Cultural Studies, Tawang Monastery, Arunachal Pradesh

Namgyal Institute of Tibetology, Sikkim

International Buddhist Confederation

GRL Monastic School, Bomdila, Arunachal Pradesh

 Further, Scheme of Financial Assistance for the Development of Buddhist/Tibetan Culture and Art is also being implemented by M/o Culture to give financial assistance to voluntary Buddhist/Tibetan organizations including monasteries engaged in the propagation and scientific development of Buddhist/Tibetan culture, tradition and research in related fields.