DHARAMSHALA: His Holiness the Dalai Lama today expressed his deep sadness at reports of a school bus crash not far from Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh, according to dalailama.com, the official website of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The bus accident took place yesterday on 9 April near Malkwal in Kangra district.
In a letter addressed to Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Shri Jai Ram Thakur, His Holiness wrote:
“I am deeply saddened by reports of yesterday’s bus crash near Nurpur in which 23 of the 27 people who were killed were school children.”
“These children were their families’ pride and joy, their hope for the future, as such children are all across the country. It is a tragedy that they should have died on their way home from school. I would like to offer my condolences to those families who have lost loved ones and to others affected by this unfortunate accident.
“Since Himachal Pradesh has been my home for almost 58 years, I naturally feel an affinity for its people. When incidents like this occur, it is as if a calamity has befallen all of us.”
His Holiness also made a donation as a token of his respect and sympathy with the family of the victims from the Dalai Lama Trust to the Chief Minister’s Fund for relief work.
His Holiness ended his letter with prayers for all concerned.