December 4th 2015

Delhi, India, 4 December 2015 - His Holiness the Dalai Lama wrote to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister  Jayalalitha today to express his sadness at the unprecedented destruction and disruption of normal life in Chennai as a result of the heaviest rains in several decades. He remarked:

“Chennai was one of the Indian cities I visited when I first came to India in 1956 for the Buddha Jayanthi celebrations. Over the years I have visited this beautiful city several times, most recently three weeks ago as these rains began.”

As a token of his concern for those who have suffered in this catastrophe, he wrote that he was directing the Dalai Lama Trust to make a donation of Rs. 1500000/- (Rupees fifteen lakhs) towards ongoing relief and rescue operations. He concluded:

“I would like to convey to you and the people of Tamil Nadu my prayers for all those who have suffered loss of life and property.”