Amid border row, Indian Army officers learn Tibetan culture, language

The course will help improve Armed forces posted in and around Arunachal Pradesh to understand that area’s demography, culture, people, and history. Once they complete the course, they will be fully aware of dealing with the other side of the Line of Actual Control, a senior officer at 5 Mountain Division said.

Young and mid-level Indian Army officers currently deployed in Arunachal Pradesh are undergoing an orientation course on Tibetan culture and language to enhance awareness with various other perks.

The course will help improve Armed forces posted in and around Arunachal Pradesh to understand that area’s demography, culture, people, and history. Once they complete the course, they will be fully aware of dealing with the other side of the Line of Actual Control, a senior officer at 5 Mountain Division said.

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During the course, the officers are also taken to nearby monasteries where they interact with monks to understand Buddhist philosophy.

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About the course's benefits, the officer said that it helps in analyzing information and collating that information to help the force understand what they are dealing with in a particular situation.

"They are undergoing Tibetology Orientation Cadre course at the Central Institute of Himalayan Culture Studies, at Bomdila in Arunachal Pradesh," said a senior Indian Army officer.

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"The basic Bodhi language is also being taught during the orientation course," said the officer, adding that it is a 42-day rigorous programme. The first batch of 15 officers was trained in 2020. The second batch of 25 officers started this year.

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He also said that the officers who have undergone this course "assist the force in military operation capability".

The course is voluntary for these officers but importantly it will be endorsed in their career report for sure.

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Major Pritam, who took this course, said that he was completely unaware of Tibet and the people when he came to Arunachal Pradesh. "After doing the course, I know what was missing. I was missing the essence," he said.

The force's first target is to get around 200 officers trained in Tibetology.

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Offering undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral programmes in Buddhist and Himalayan studies, the centre was established under the aegis of the Buddhist Culture Preservation Society, Bomdila in 2003. In 2010, it became an autonomous body under the Union Culture Ministry.

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