Leh: Union Home Minister Amit Shah will arrive in Ladakh on Thursday for a two-day visit to attend the first-ever international exposition of the Holy Relics of Lord Buddha being held on the occasion of Buddha Purnima, marking a historic spiritual and administrative moment for the Union Territory.
Ahead of his visit, Shah shared a message describing the occasion as a moment of “profound good fortune” and said he would be leaving for Ladakh to participate in the sacred event.
“Tomorrow, I will be leaving for Ladakh for a two-day visit. It is a moment of profound good fortune for me to be attending on the occasion of Buddha Purnima, the first ever international exposition of the Holy Relics of Lord Buddha, commencing on the 1st of May,” Shah said.
Tomorrow, will be leaving for Ladakh for a two-day visit. It is a moment of profound good fortune for me to be attending on the occasion of Buddha Purnima, the first ever international exposition of the holy relics of Lord Buddha, commencing on the 1st of May. In this exposition… https://t.co/UIiaOzkKF6
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) April 29, 2026
He further said that devotees from different parts of the world would gather to offer veneration to the relics of Lord Buddha during the exposition.
The Holy Relics of Tathagata Buddha arrived in Leh on Wednesday and were received with grand honour and ceremonial welcome at Kushok Bakula Rinpoche Airport by the Union Territory Administration of Ladakh with support from the Indian Air Force, Ministry of Culture, National Museum, New Delhi, and the International Buddhist Confederation.
The sacred relics will be on public display from May 1 to May 15 in Leh and Zanskar, giving devotees a rare opportunity to offer prayers and seek blessings. The exposition is being seen as a major spiritual event for Ladakh and the global Buddhist community.
Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh Vinai Kumar Saxena, who received the relics at the airport, said their arrival had blessed the entire region. He noted that while the relics had been exhibited internationally in the past, this was the first time they had been brought out from their original place of preservation for exposition within India.
Apart from Amit Shah, several Union Ministers, ambassadors, Chief Ministers from Buddhist-majority states, and representatives of Buddhist organisations from across the country and abroad are expected to attend the event.
Shah’s visit is also significant from an administrative and developmental perspective. Just before his arrival, the Centre approved the creation of five new districts in Ladakh—Zanskar, Drass, Sham, Nubra and Changthang—raising the total number of districts in the Union Territory from two to seven.
The decision is aimed at strengthening grassroots governance, improving public service delivery in remote and border areas, and ensuring faster administrative access for residents living in far-flung regions.
Newly appointed Deputy Commissioners and Superintendents of Police have already assumed charge in all five districts, marking the beginning of administrative operations in the newly created regions.
During his visit, the Home Minister is also expected to review key administrative matters and hold meetings with local administration officials and Indo-Tibetan Border Police officials regarding governance, border management, security preparedness and development priorities.
The simultaneous arrival of the Holy Relics, the creation of five new districts, and the visit of the Union Home Minister have together made this a defining week for Ladakh.
For many residents, the moment represents not only a major spiritual blessing during Buddha Purnima but also a strong message of development, decentralisation and deeper administrative focus from the Centre.
