Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to visit Leh on May 19 to address a public gathering to mark conclusion of the birth centenary celebrations of 19th Kushok Bakula Rinpoche, the architect of modern Ladakh. The Prime Minister will address the gathering at Polo Ground, Leh.
Minister for Cooperatives and Ladakh Affairs Chering Dorjay said the programme of the Prime Minister’s visit had almost been finalised. “The public function will be jointly organised by the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Leh, and Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA) to mark the conclusion of the year-long celebrations,” Dorjay said, adding that preparations had already been started after getting a green light from the Prime Minister’s Office.
Although the centenary celebrations started in May 2017, a formal function was inaugurated by Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan on November 23, 2017.
While the event at Leh would be organised by the LAHDC, Leh, and LBA, the Kushok Bakula centenary celebrations are being held across the country jointly by the Jammu Kashmir Study Centre and Himalayan Sanskriti Sanrakshan Sabha.
The Jammu Kashmir Study Centre is an independent think tank dedicated to research and studies relating to Jammu and Kashmir.
To address public gathering
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a public gathering to mark conclusion of the birth centenary celebrations of 19th Kushok Bakula Rinpoche, the architect of modern Ladakh.
About Kushok Bakula
The acclaimed Buddhist saint was a statesman and diplomat. Bakula was engaged in welfare, education and rights of the Scheduled Castes and Tribes of India. He was a member of the Constituent Assembly of Jammu and Kashmir, which also functioned as the first state Assembly under the leadership of Sheikh Abdullah. However, he never shied away from raising his voice for the rights of the people of Ladakh, even at the cost of angering Sheikh Abdullah. Later, he remained MP for 10 years. He was appointed as an ambassador to Mongolia, where he stayed for almost a decade. In 2005, the Leh airport was renamed as Kushok Bakula Airport.
