Chronicler of Compassion: Lensman on Journey with Dalai Lama
photojournalist and Tibetologist Vijay Kranti! (Image credit Bhawna Malik)
In a candid conversation, photojournalist and Tibetologist Vijay Kranti recounts his decades-long association with the Dalai Lama, Tibet’s struggle in exile, and the resilient spirit of a displaced nation.
By Bhawna Malik
New Delhi, July 9, 2025 — Renowned photographer, journalist, author, and Tibetologist Vijay Kranti is celebrating 53 years of his association with the Dalai Lama through a rare photographic exhibition capturing intimate and historic moments. In this conversation, he shares personal insights on the Tibetan struggle, his own refugee roots, and how the Dalai Lama’s enduring statesmanship continues to inspire him.
Q: The Dalai Lama celebrated his 90th birthday as you mark 53 years of association with him. Tell us about this journey.
Kranti: This is a special moment not just for Tibetans but for the entire world. The Dalai Lama is unique — a symbol of peace and compassion, yet a determined fighter for his people’s rights, all without violence. He proves that one person can shoulder such a profound responsibility alone.
Q: Many admirers have visited him in Dharamshala. Why did you choose to commemorate the occasion with an exhibition instead?
Kranti: While my family considered visiting Dharamshala, I wanted to honour this milestone through my lens. This exhibition encapsulates over five decades of capturing the Dalai Lama in various moods and moments. These photographs are rare — many from his personal spaces, including his office and meditation room.
Q: When did you first meet him?
Kranti: In 1972, as a 22-year-old freelance journalist sent by Saptahik Hindustan, I went to Dharamshala to study Tibetan refugees — their culture, challenges, and aspirations. I read His Holiness’ autobiography beforehand to prepare. What amazed me was how a small refugee community of 80,000 had built robust institutions within just 13 years. Meeting him changed my perception of religious leaders. He was accessible, humble, and deeply involved in every detail of the Tibetan cause.
Q: You mention studying Tibetan refugees. What challenges stood out?
Kranti: Most were first-generation refugees living in cramped spaces, often 8×8 feet rooms serving as kitchen, temple, and study. Yet, their resolve to reclaim Tibet and their unity under the Dalai Lama were extraordinary. Being from a family of refugees from Pakistan-occupied Jammu & Kashmir, I connected with their pain.
Q: Do you find parallels between the Tibetan struggle and your own family’s refugee experience?
Kranti: Yes, the shared pain of loss. But the Tibetans succeeded in preserving their language, cuisine, and cultural heritage — something we Kashmiris largely failed at. That’s the Dalai Lama’s greatest achievement: saving a culture from extinction by establishing schools, institutions, and preserving Tibetan medicine and arts.
Q: You call the Dalai Lama a ‘monk statesman’. Why so?
Kranti: He is deeply spiritual but also politically astute. In 2011, he announced there may be no future Dalai Lama — a decision that rattled China. But now, at 90, he has clarified that the institution will continue through traditional processes, overseen by the Gaden Phodrang Trust. His calm restraint and clear vision make him a true statesman.
Q: What inspired your book Dalai Lama: The Soldier of Peace?
Kranti: There was no accessible resource on Tibet’s history and the Dalai Lama for younger generations. So, I wrote a comic-style book narrating his life, Tibet’s history as a free country, the Chinese occupation, and the institution of the Dalai Lama — including the reincarnation journey of the 14th Dalai Lama who was discovered at age four. It’s both informative and engaging.
Q: What challenges did you face documenting such a vast and intimate subject as a photojournalist?
Kranti: In the early days, I didn’t even own a camera. Friends like Balbir Singh lent me theirs. The first cover story I did on the Dalai Lama was captured entirely with a borrowed camera. Over the years, it’s been a challenge and a blessing to document his life.
Through his camera and pen, Vijay Kranti has chronicled not just a spiritual leader’s life, but the resilience of a people exiled from their homeland. His work is a living testimony to Tibet’s enduring spirit — and to the power of peaceful resistance.
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