ITANAGAR: The Central Institute of Himalayan Culture Studies (CIHCS)-the fourth Buddhist centre of learning in India at Dahang in West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh is a full-fledged central institute now, informed its founder Rev Tsona Gontse Rinpoche.
The CIHCS, conceived by Reve Renpoche in 2000, had received the nod of the Union Cabinet on May 26, 2010 with a project coast amounting to Rs 9 crore and recurring annual cost of Rs 12.86 lakh.
Rev Rinpoche, who is in New Delhi to attend the first board of management (BoM) meeting on January 31, told UNI over telephone on Monday the institute began with only a Central Government grant of mere Rs 97 lakh.
It has grown to be a good institute to fill the vacuum in imparting education on Buddhism.
“I had pursued the Centre to establish such institute considering the large number of Buddhist population in the North Eastern region,” he said.
He added that with only 25 faculty members and limited infrastructure, the institute has so far produced two batches of Shastri (equivalent to BA in Buddhist Philosophy) degree holders. (UNI)
