Ladakh Buddhist Association

Ladakh Buddhist Association

Abbreviation	LBA
Formation	1934
Founders	Kalon Tsewang Rigzin,Munshi Sonam Tsewang, Kalon Bankapa Murup Gyaltsan
Type	Socio-Religious / Charitable
Headquarters	Leh
Region	Ladakh
Official language	Bhoti, English
President	Tsewang Thinles[1]
Subsidiaries	LBA Youth Wing

Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA) is an organization in Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, India concerned with interests of Buddhists in Ladakh. It was founded in 1933 by King Jigmet Dadul Namgyal, Kalon Tsewang Rigzin, Kalon Bankapa Morup Gyaltsan and Munshi Sonam Tsewang. with the aim of looking after the Buddhist interests, bringing social reforms in Ladakhi society and to preserve its art, culture, language and tradition. It strive towards a healthy compassionate and eco-friendly society having regards to human rights and non-violence with special focus on sustainable development addressing women issues, educational infrastructures and child welfare^[2]

The LBA consists of the Parent Department, the Youth Wing and the Women’s Wing and units located in villages that are meant to address local issues. LBA has its unit branch offices in the outreach representing a cluster of villages. These units facilitate and work closely with the community heads and their own village representatives as well as their women and youth groups.^[3]

In 1989, there were violent riots between Buddhists and Muslims, provoking the Ladakh Buddhist Association to call for a social and economic boycott of Muslims, which was lifted in 1992. In early 2000, representatives of the LBA claimed that many Buddhist women were taken forcibly from their home villages and forced to convert to Islam, and accused the state government in Jammu and Kashmir of allowing this to happen.^[4][5]

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