New Delhi: The Dayawati Modi Foundation awarded His Holiness the

Dalai Lama, one of the most respected and revered spiritual leaders, with the prestigious ‘Dayawati Modi Award for Art, Culture and Education’ for the year 2011.

Mr. Mark Shand, Founder of Elephant Family conferred the award to His Holiness the Dalai Lama at an event held today in the capital at Shri Sathya Sai Auditorium, Lodhi Road, New Delhi. On this special occasion, His Holiness the Dalai Lama presented a talk on “Power of Women.”

The award comprising a cash prize of Rs. 2.51 lakhs, a silver shield and scroll of honour was presented to His Holiness the Dalai Lama to mark the 96 birth anniversary of Late Smt. Dayawati Modi.

His Holiness began his monastic education at the age of six and at the age of 23, he was awarded the Geshe Lharampa degree, equivalent to a doctorate of Buddhist philosophy. In 1950, His Holiness was called upon to assume political leadership of Tibet after China’s invasion. In 1959, after China’s brutal suppression of the Tibetan national uprising, he was forced to escape into exile. Since then he has been living in Dharamsala, northern India.

His Holiness has introduced a number of reforms to democratize Tibetan community in Exile, finally deciding to end the 369 year old tradition of the Dalai Lama Institution which exercised both temporal and spiritual authority of Tibet by devolving his entire political authority o the elected leadership in March 2011.

His Holiness was felicitated with the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989, US Congressional Gold Medal in 2007 and hundreds of other awards, honorary doctorates and honours from around the world in recognition of his unwavering efforts to promote the message of peace, non-violence, inter-religious harmony and in trying to find a peaceful resolution to the Issue of Tibet. He has also authored over 100 books.

His Holiness joins the impressive list of previous awardees, which includes names like Amitabh Bachchan, Mother Teresa, Jagjit Singh, Pandit Jasraj, Asha Bhonsle, Pandit Ravi Shankar, Tyeb Mehta, Dr. Abdul Waheed Khan, Prof Lokesh Chandra and Dr. Karan Singh.

Announcing the details for this year’s award, Mr. Satish Kumar Modi, President of Dayawati Modi Foundation said, “It is an honor to confer the Dayawati Modi Award on His Holiness the Dalai Lama in recognition of his lifetime contribution towards universal peace, tolerance and social justice.”