India's Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, Ramdas Athawale, extended a formal invitation to the Dalai Lama during a meeting in Dharamshala on Dec 4. The invitation is for the Dhamma Diksha, an international conference on Buddhism, scheduled for Dec 15-16 in Mumbai.

Athawale, a prominent Dalit leader from Maharashtra, urged Buddhists and followers of Ambedkar to participate actively in the two-day conference, set to take place at the sports stadium in Worli on Dec 15 and the Mahalaxmi Race Course on Dec 16, as reported by ndtv.com on Dec 4.

The conference holds significance as it commemorates Dr BR Ambedkar, India's first law minister and Dalit leader, who embraced Buddhism in Nagpur on Oct 14, 1956. Originally planned by Ambedkar, the Dhamma Diksha conference in Mumbai became a reality, with Mr. Athawale spearheading the initiative after Ambedkar's passing on Dec 6, 1956.

The anticipated attendees include the Dalai Lama, Sri Lanka Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, Thailand Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, Bhutan Princess Kesang Wangmo Wangchuk, and Buddhist leaders from Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, and other nations, according to the report. However, the event details are yet to appear on the Dalai Lama's official website as of the latest update.