Central University of Tibetan Studies, Varanasi

The University was established in 1967, on the joint initiative of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The objective was to take care of the cultural and educational needs of the youth among the Tibetan diaspora in India, and those of the Himalayan regions of India, who earlier had the opportunity of being educated in Tibet, this came to be discontinued in the wake of the Chinese occupation. But later, the university blossomed into a center of excellence in researches on Tibetology, restoration of texts, and imparting the knowledge of the four Sampradayas of Buddhism in Tibet along with ancient and indigenous Bon religion. The university draws students from Tibetan communities in India, and especially the Himalayan regions, from the north-west to the north-east. Besides, scholars from the western countries visit the university in connection with their academic inquiries and studies. There goes on a programme of annual educational exchange of graduate students from colleges in the USA and Australia. The University combines traditional wisdom with modern educational pedagogy, and courses are offered in a graded fashion leading up to M.Phil and Ph.D. levels. There is a vibrant publication unit, which has published a good number of important texts, restored and translated from Tibetan sources. There are ongoing projects on encyclopedia, lexicons and editing of rare texts, Sanskrit and Tibetan. The annual publication of a journal, Dhih, carrying the reports of research has been widely acclaimed. Central University of Tibetan Studies Sarnath, Varanasi 221007 U.P. India Phone: +91 542 2585242; 2581737 Fax: +91 542 2585150