Sándor Kőrösi Csoma commemorated by Political Director Dr Balázs Orbán

2023. June 05.

The audience listened with curiosity as Dr Orbán recounted his personal experiences while showing his own pictures taken in Darjeeling, India.

Dr Balázs Orbán, a former ELTE student, began his presentation by showing a book by Dr Jenő Cholnoky, titled Sándor Kőrösi Csoma, which he had taken with him on a diplomatic trip that included a visit to the grave of Sándor Kőrösi Csoma, the founder of Tibetology.

It was a defining experience for him to see the eternal resting place of the world-famous Hungarian Tibetologist in such a special place, at the foot of the Himalayas. The tomb has become a place of pilgrimage in India over the past decades.

Dr Balázs Orbán pointed out that if you want to pay tribute to Sándor Kőrösi Csoma, there are two places you should visit: the tomb mentioned above and the Asiatic Society's Centre for Oriental Studies in Calcutta. The building is interesting because it also housed the Tibetologist for many years.

In the audience were Rector of ELTE Dr László Borhy, Vice-Rector of ELTE Dr Imre Hamar, and Tibetologist and retired lecturer of ELTE Dr József Terjék. Terjék at the end of the presentation even asked for the political scientist's photos of the past, as he had last visited the memorable cities more than 40 years ago.