International Gurung Buddhism Council Concludes

Kathmandu, Oct 10: The second international conference of the International Gurung Buddhism Council (IGBC), a global organization representing Buddhist followers within the Tamu (Gurung) community, has successfully concluded in Kathmandu.

The conference, chaired by the Council’s founding president, Dr. Kumar Gurung, brought together prominent Lama spiritual leaders, presidents and representatives of various Gurung organizations, and members of the Gurung community who practice and follow Buddhism.

Established in 2024 in Omaha, Nebraska, USA, by Dr. Gurung, the International Gurung Buddhism Council was founded as a common platform to unite Gurung Buddhists living across the world. The organization brings together members from Nepal, India, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and several European countries.

The Council aims to preserve and promote the traditional customs, cultural heritage, and identity of the Gurung community while encouraging the adoption of the fundamental principles of Buddhism. It has also been actively contributing to the preservation and development of the Gurung language, traditional practices, and cultural institutions. Additionally, the organization supports the education and training of Gurung Buddhist Lamas and the development of Buddhist monasteries within Gurung communities.

Dr. Kumar Gurung was born into a Nepali-speaking Gurung family in Bhutan, whose ancestral roots trace back to Okhaldhunga in eastern Nepal. His family had migrated to Bhutan due to various historical and social circumstances.

Following the displacement of Nepali-speaking communities from Bhutan, Dr. Gurung spent several years in a Bhutanese refugee camp in Nepal. He was later resettled in the United States under the third-country resettlement program.

After establishing himself in business and entrepreneurship in the United States, Dr. Gurung began promoting Gurung Buddhism as a movement dedicated to preserving Gurung cultural identity while embracing the essential teachings of Gautama Buddha.

In collaboration with Buddhist practitioners and Gurung community leaders, including Dhruva Gurung and Pushpa Gurung, who had been advocating the practice of Gurung Buddhism in Nepal, he established the International Gurung Buddhism Council in the United States.

The organization has since expanded its international presence, establishing branch offices in Nepal, India, the United Kingdom, and Australia.

Addressing the conference, founding president Dr. Kumar Gurung explained that the concept of Gurung Buddhism seeks to create harmony between traditional Gurung customs and the fundamental teachings of Buddhism.