KIBI Graduation Ceremony,2018

On May 2nd, K.I.B.I. celebrated the third and final Graduation Ceremony of its B.A. program. All students, faculty and staff members, along with all K.I.B.I. residents gathered to celebrate the graduation of three students from our B.A. program, which was run in collaboration with Mewar University, as well as two more students enrolled in the K.I.B.I. Diploma program.

Congratulations to Tashi Dawa Bhutia, Jinpa Thaye, Alena Votinova, as well as Evgeniia Drai and Miriam Meyer for their efforts and dedication to our study program.

The ceremony began with an introductory speech from our General Secretary, Skarma Ishey Jungnes, and was followed by a speech by our Director and Chief Guest for the afternoon, Professor Sempa Dorje. Both speeches focused on the importance of academic studies and Prof. Sempa Dorje reiterated that K.I.B.I.’s vision has always been to provide academic training in the field of Buddhist Studies. Prof. Sempa Dorje also expressed his full confidence that K.I.B.I. would again be running a Bachelor of Arts program in the coming years. The students were then each presented with an award, and each of them gave of short speech of thanks. Fittingly, the concluding speech was given by our Principal, Professor Lara Braitstein, who emphasized the unique value of academic studies, both for our monastic and lay students, and the relevance of K.I.B.I.’s mission in offering this type of course. She also expressed her heartfelt gratitude to all Faculty members who were involved in K.I.B.I. over the past 5 years. The event concluded with a gathering where all guests enjoyed much-needed refreshments in the Delhi heat, and shared their stories about the past years of studying, as well as their plans for further studies in the near future.

K.I.B.I. ran its B.A. program in collaboration with Mewar University for 5 years, from September 2013 to May 2018. This 5-year period saw three generations of students complete the 3-year B.A. program in Buddhist Studies, having received a solid foundation of knowledge of Buddhism as well as enabling them to pursue further studies in well-respected academic institutions all over the world. We are delighted to announce that 16 students have eventually graduated with a B.A. offered in collaboration with Mewar University, and that many more have had the opportunity to receive part of the K.I.B.I. education by attending our classes as Guest Students.

In closing this particular chapter of its academic curriculum, K.I.B.I. would like to take this opportunity to express its deep gratitude for the blessing, guidance and vision provided by the His Holiness Thaye Dorje, the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa, as well as by the late 14th Kunzig Shamar Rinpoche. Additionally, it is fitting that on such an occasion we would express our heartfelt thanks to two particular individuals without whom the vision of our spiritual leaders could have never come to life: Khenpo Mriti, for setting up the collaboration with Mewar University and building K.I.B.I. into its modern incarnation; and Professor Lara Braitstein, who is resigning from her 5-year tenure as Principal, for her continuous dedication to the cause, for her hard work and oversight ensuring the continued success of our program and the ultimate graduation of our students. We hope that they may assist and advise us regularly in the coming years, and we wish them all the very best in their future endeavors.