The Amnye Machen Institute is based in Dharamshala working in the field of

Tibetan studies Tibetology () refers to the study of things related to Tibet, including its history, religion, language, culture, politics and the collection of Tibetan articles of historical, cultural and religious significance. The last may mean a collection of ...

. It began along liberal and humanist lines, focusing primarily on secular subjects with emphasis on the contemporary and the neglected aspects of Tibetan culture and history.

History

The Amnye Machen Institute was founded on July 16, 1992 in Dharamshala,

Himachal Pradesh Himachal Pradesh (; ; "Snow-laden Mountain Province") is a state in the northern part of India. Situated in the Western Himalayas, it is one of the thirteen mountain states and is characterized by an extreme landscape featuring several peaks ...

, India by Tashi Tsering, Pema Bhum,

Jamyang Norbu Jamyang Norbu ( Tibetan: འཇམ་དབྱངས་ནོར་བུ་, Wylie: 'jam-dbyangs nor-bu) is a Tibetan political activist and writer, currently living in the United States, having previously lived for over 40 years as a Tibetan exi ...

and Lhasang Tsering. The institute aimed at advancing an international and secular culture within traditional Tibetan society. The institute started with the blessing and Rs. 50,000 seed money from the

Dalai Lama Dalai Lama (, ; ) is a title given by the Tibetan people to the foremost spiritual leader of the Gelug or "Yellow Hat" school of Tibetan Buddhism, the newest and most dominant of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism. The 14th and current Dal ...

and became the central point of intellectual and social movement in the exile community. They started fortnightly newspaper called ''Mangtso'' ( en, Democracy) and publish scholarly magazine called ''Lungta'' ( en, Windhorse).

Objectives

The institute focuses on addressing the limitations of the Tibetan people inside and outside

Tibet Tibet (; ''Böd''; ) is a region in East Asia, covering much of the Tibetan Plateau and spanning about . It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people. Also resident on the plateau are some other ethnic groups such as Monpa people, ...

in the intellectual, social and cultural life by undertaking scientific studies into Tibetan history, culture, society and politics. The Amnye Machen Institute explores external cultures, ideologies and nations that have influenced the Tibetan history and search for a new path in Tibetan studies by focusing on contemporary Tibetan art, literature and women's studies.

Significance

The institute studies the past to understand and direct Tibetan people to prepare for the future, through raising cultural and intellectual awareness, by making literature, culture and scientific knowledge readily available. It provides service and platform to various writers, academics, poets, artists and musicians for their creative growth and promotes their work.

Award

The institute was awarded the Poul Lauritzen Prize for Freedom award in 1994 and 1996.

List of founding directors

* Lhasang Tsering *

* Pema Bhum * Tashi Tsering (current director)

Publications

* Trails Of The Tibetan Tradition: Papers for Elliot Sperling * Forty-five Years of Tibetan Studies: An Anthology of Articles by Per Kvaerne * The Centennial of the Tibeto-Mongol Treaty, 1913–2013 * A Short History of Mustang * Pandita and the Siddha: Tibetan Studies in Honor of E. Gene Smith * Tibetan Studies in Honour of Samten Karmay

References

{{Coord missing, Himachal Pradesh 1992 establishments in Himachal Pradesh Schools in Himachal Pradesh