Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha returned to India with the Holy Relics of Lord Buddha following their exposition in Kalmykia, Russia.
Manoj Sinha said that exposition of the Holy Relics of Lord Buddha to Kalmykia will strengthen the ties between India & Russia.“We have come back with the Holy Relics of Lord Buddha from Kalmykia… India-Russia friendship has been great for a long time and is completing 80 years in the coming times… During the visit of Russian President Putin, this effort by the Indian government, Ministry of Culture, will prove to be a milestone… This will also strengthen our relations with Russia in terms of business, trade and defence,” he said.
Manoj Sinha was on a visit to Russia to bring back the Holy Relics of Lord Buddha to India following their exposition in Elista, the Capital city of the Republic of Kalmykia. Sinha was received by the First Deputy Chairman of the Government of Kalmykia, Tserenov Erdni Nikolayevich, Deputy Chairman Dzhambinov Ochir Vladimirovich, and India’s Deputy Chief of Mission Nikhilesh Giri.The sacred relics, recognised as a National Treasure of India, were brought to the capital city of Elista by a high-level delegation, led by Shri Keshav Prasad Maurya, Deputy Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, and including senior Indian monks. The delegation is conducting special religious services and blessings for the predominantly Buddhist population of Kalmykia, the only region in Europe where Buddhism is the predominant religion.
This historic exposition, the first of its kind in the Russian Republic, is a testament to the deep civilizational bonds between India and Russia. It revives the enduring legacy of the 19th Kushok Bakula Rinpoche, the revered Buddhist monk and diplomat from Ladakh, who was instrumental in reviving Buddhism in Mongolia and reigniting interest in the Buddha Dharma in Russian regions like Kalmykia, Buryatia, and Tuva.
The event has been organised by the BTI section of the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, in collaboration with the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC), the National Museum, and the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA). The exposition will continue in the capital city of Elista until October 18, 2025.