Soldier of Peace

By Tom Hayes / January 12, 2016;

Vijay Kranti poses with the comic book
Photo: Tibet Sun

A comic book, Dalai Lama- The soldier of peace, which chronicles the story of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, has been launched. The book has been available since late 2013 in English and has now been published in Tibetan for the first time. The launch took place at Hotel Tibet in Dharamshala on January 1.

The book was written by Mr Vijay Kranti, a journalist who has published several books on Tibet and His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Dalai Lama – The soldier of peace tells the story of how His Holiness escaped from Tibet and how monks found him and recognised him as the reincarnation of the previous Dalai Lama, as well as how the country was occupied by the Chinese.

Pema Chhinjor, Tibetan Minister of Religion and Culture (Kalon), speaking at the launch said that young Tibetan people spread throughout many different countries would find this book a great benefit. He added that Mr Kranti is planning to use money raised from the sale of the 4,000 copies of comic donated to the Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC) in recognition of their assistance with the translation of the book, and to support the organisation.

Referring to the TYC, Mr Vijay said, “People may hold some reservation against the organisation. I believe TYC is among the most genuine and committed organisation towards the Tibetan cause. It is also the most patriotic as well. TYC is an organisation which deserves support not just from the exile Tibetan community but from the whole world”.

The book is dedicated to the 1.2 million Tibetans who have been killed since the Chinese invasion in 1959, and to the people who have helped the Tibetan cause since. In a conference held in Delhi in December last year at the Tibetan Colony Majnu-ka-Tilla in Delhi, Mr Kranti said the comic book is “Simply a story book, to communicate their case, their story in a very convincing and simple manner to the rest of the world.”

Vijay Kranti plans on releasing a second installment, leading on from where Dalai Lama- The soldier of peace finishes.