MHA revokes FCRA license of Tibet House

The Union home ministry has revoked the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) license of 'Tibet House - The Cultural Centre of HH Dalai Lama', citing violation of provisions, ET has learnt. Tibet House is located in Delhi and runs several programmes, including Nalanda masters and diploma courses, besides several Tibetan language courses.

An e-mail query sent to the organisation remained unanswered till the press time. The Tibet House was founded in 1965 by the Dalai Lama to preserve and disseminate cultural heritage of Tibet and to provide a centre for Tibetan and Buddhist studies. Those fleeing Tibet due to political upheavals in their homeland, brought with them precious objects and books of religious and cultural significance.



Tibet House consists of a museum of valuable Tibetan art and artifacts as well as a library. The home ministry did not respond to ET queries on the reasons cited for the cancellation. However, officials said action was taken as part of a larger overhaul on FCRA licences a few months ago. "No organisation can receive or utilise foreign funds until the certificate is renewed," they added.

According to official sources, several prominent NGOs have lost their FCRA licences in the latest round of scrutiny while 66 new FCRA registration licences have been issued to NGOs till date in 2025. As many as 387 licences were issued in 2024, including that of Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan's Meer Foundation, Olympian Abhinav Bindra Foundation, Bharat Scouts and Guides headed by former Rajya Sabha member Anil Kumar Jain and Vedanta-backed Cairn Foundation, among others.

The home ministry in December granted a three-month extension to the validity of FCRA registration of NGOs, renewal applications of which are pending till March 31. The notice further cautioned NGOs whose renewal applications were denied or FCRA licence cancelled that they were not eligible to receive or utilise foreign grants.

It said that the validity of those entities that were registered under FCRA and whose five-year validity period is expiring from January 1 to March 31, but have applied for renewal before expiry of the five-year validity period, will stand extended up to March 31 or till the disposal of the renewal application - whichever is earlier.

Over 15,000 NGO were granted licences under FCRA while more than 7,500 were denied licences by the Ministry of Home Affairs during 2023-24. As many as 15,638 NGOs were cleared for certificate licences while 7,848 applications were denied, the report stated.