Leh, Sept 22: Historian Nawang Tsering Shakspo, author of A Cultural History of Ladakh, is set to travel to Russia to participate in an international conference on Buddhism from September 25 to 28 in Elista, organized by the Government of the Republic of Kalmykia. The event, titled “Buddhist World and Issue of Preserving Traditional Spiritual and Moral Values,” aims to foster cross-border dialogue among Buddhist nations and explore ways to sustain Buddhist heritage, culture, philosophy, and practices.
Scholars from countries including Russia, China, India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Nepal, Bhutan, Cambodia, and Mongolia will attend the forum. Historian Nawang is scheduled to deliver a lecture titled Journey Through Time: Buddhism in Russia since the First Visit of 19th Kushok Bakula in 1968.
As part of his week-long tour, Nawang will arrive in Moscow on September 23 to meet with faculty members at the State University of Moscow to discuss the development of Mahayana Buddhist studies in the country.
The conference also highlights the enduring influence of Kushok Bakula Rinpoche, revered in Ladakh as the architect of modern Ladakh, who served as a member of Parliament, the Minorities Commission, and as India’s ambassador to Mongolia. Bakula Rinpoche traveled across the Russian Federation from 1968 until his death in 2003, promoting the revival of Buddhism. During the early years of Gorbachev’s reforms, which allowed greater religious freedom, he became the first foreign Buddhist monk to meet the Soviet leader.
The participation of Nawang Tsering Shakspo reflects ongoing efforts to strengthen cultural and religious ties between India and Buddhist communities worldwide.
