Leh – His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibet, has written to the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh to express his solidarity with those affected by the floods and landslides in India, and particularly in Himachal Pradesh, the state where His Holiness has lived for more than sixty years, and has made a donation for the relief and assistance operations.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama wrote to Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, on July 12, 2023, to express his sadness at the news of the torrential rains that have caused flooding and landslides in recent days, resulting in the tragic deaths of many people and seriously damaging roads and infrastructure in northern India, particularly in Himachal Pradesh.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama wrote,"Having lived so happily in this state for more than six decades, I feel a special affinity for the people here."
His Holiness expressed his solidarity with the affected people and wrote, "I pray for those who have lost their lives and offer my heartfelt condolences to those families who have lost loved ones, as well as to others affected by this natural calamity."
"I understand that the state government and other agencies are doing everything they can to provide relief and mitigate the effects of this tragedy. As a mark of my solidarity with the people of Himachal Pradesh, The Dalai Lama Trust is making a donation towards rescue and relief efforts," he added.
His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama ended his letter with prayers and good wishes.
Heavy rains hit northern India, and Himachal Pradesh in particular, from Sunday 10 to 11 July 2023, causing flooding, landslides, the destruction of roads and highways, the death of more than 20 people and the closure of all schools in Delhi and Himachal Pradesh.
