Namsai: Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein on Thursday said the preservation of culture and tradition, especially of the tribal communities of Arunachal Pradesh, was crucial in the era of globalisation.
Speaking at the International Buddhist Conference at the Arunachal University of Studies (AUS) here, he explained the way of life and essence of culture followed by the Tai Khamtis, Tai Ahom, Tai Phake and Tai Turung – communities following their own scripts since time immemorial.
He said even the Mahabharata and Ramayana are written in the Tai Khamti script, which signifies the richness of the language. He exhorted the elders and elites of the society to pass down the rich legacy of culture and tradition to the younger generation and said that it is the responsibility of the younger generation to pass it on to the next generations. Latest: Arunachal’s Namsai top in aspirational district rankings of Niti Aayog
The three-day conference on the ‘Teachings of Buddha and their Current Relevance’ has been organised by the World Education Mission to mark the decennial celebration of AUS, which was established in 2012.
Mein lauded AUS for introducing the Department of Buddhist Studies, offering diploma courses in Pali language, and BA, MA and PhD in Buddhist Studies.
“This will go a long way in protecting and promoting the language,” he said, exuding hope that the department would soon make its presence felt across the globe.
Ashwani Lochan, the president of World Education Mission thanked the people of Arunachal Pradesh and the Namsai district administration for supporting the university and its faculty members.
“The sole purpose of this conference is to bring delegates from various parts of India as well as South Asia to show the importance of the teachings of Lord Buddha, which lead to a noble and peaceful life,” he said.
During the inaugural session of the conference, many Buddhist philanthropists and bhikkhus were honoured with awards and certificates of appreciation by Thailand’s Lye Ket Yong, who also presented a paper on the ‘Current relevance of Buddhism by academic scholars from various parts of India and South Asia’.
The inaugural was also addressed by the president of MEMC, the secretary of the World Alliance of Buddhists and deputy president of the United Nations Peacekeepers’ Federal Council, goodwill ambassador at Large of the UN Human Rights, Rajiv Gandhi University VC Saket Kushwaha and his AUS counterpart B. Mohan Kumar.
Other eminent speakers at the conference were Jasbir Singh Chawla from Panjab University and Khenpo Konchok Thupstan, Department of Bhoti Language and Literature at Ladakh’s Central Institute of Buddhist Studies.
Among others who attended the conference were Namsai deputy commissioner R K Sharma, superintendent of police D W Thungon, AUS’s sean of Arts and Social Sciences Rupak Jyoti Borah, local delegates, faculty members and students of AUS.
