Tushita’s Annual Report 2024
December 2024
Why don’t we create skies of merit together simply by rejoicing in all the virtuous activities that took place at Tushita in 2024? What an incredible year it has been! Yes, we know you hear this from us a lot, but don’t you agree? Now, let’s hear all about it!
We started the season with an extraordinary event on February 10th: the Tibetan New Year (Losar) and the following 15 Days of Miracles. We celebrated the Days of Miracles with 16 inspiring teachers and a large number of participants. Many attended in person, while 678 others joined us online from across India and around the world. We dedicated the program to the swift return of our precious guru, Lama Zopa Rinpoche.
This year as well, we have been keeping records of the demographics of our residential students, and we have compiled some truly amazing statistics from this data. We welcomed 2,183 residential students from 64 countries, ranging in age from 19 to 83 years old. We also recorded a total of 19,729 attendances in our Non-Residential Courses, Drop-In Sessions, and Online Courses. This brings the total number of participants for the year to 21,912!
As shown in Table 1, this year we hosted 17 Introduction to Buddhism courses (16 in English and 1 in Hindi), 4 intermediate/advanced courses, 3 courses with special teachers, 2 group retreats, and our annual Pre-Ordination Course.
Number of Students in 10-Day Introduction to Buddhism Course
In Figure 1 below, you can see the dramatic drop in student numbers in our Introduction to Buddhism courses due to the COVID pandemic, from which we have been trying to recover, like the rest of the world. However, the increased interest from students, combined with our determination to accommodate as many people as possible who wish to encounter the Dharma, has led to the growth and development of these popular courses over the past three years. The number of students in 2024 tripled compared to 2022.
This year, we supplemented our schedule with an additional 11 short courses. These non-residential courses, lasting 2 to 3 days, attracted a total of 1,030 participants! Our short courses are particularly appreciated by those who do not have the time to attend our Introduction to Buddhism courses or other retreats, as they offer a gentle taste of the teachings.
Monthly Attendance at Drop-in Guided Meditations in 2024
Meanwhile, our daily drop-in meditations continued to be a huge success with visitors this year (see Figure 2 below). Our estimated total attendance for 2024 is 18,599! Our highest monthly attendance was in May, with 3,029 meditators: 2,717 in person and 312 online.
In addition to our residential courses and retreats, we welcomed countless visitors to many special guest teachings throughout the year, including those with Yangten Rinpoche, H.E. Ling Rinpoche, Serkong Tsenshab Rinpoche, and Samdhong Rinpoche.
But who are our students? Where do they come from?
In 2024, we had students from 64 different countries attending our residential courses and retreats! Table 2 shows a list of the top ten nationalities represented in these programs.
Nationalities by Percentage 2024
Our top three nationalities—India, Israel, and the USA—held their positions firmly this year. Russia and Germany swapped places from last year, moving to #4 and #6, respectively. Canada, not one to stand around, said “cello” to our Top Ten list.
Historical map of students by country who visited Tushita in 2024
Above, you can see a world map highlighting the countries from which we had students in 2024, showing the number of students from highest to lowest, as well as the countries from which we have not yet had any students. If you are in the “no students yet” zone, please come! We have something special for you.
Gender Balance in All Our Residential Courses in 2024
In 2024, we also looked at the gender balance of participants in all our residential courses and retreats. We were happy to see a wonderfully balanced community of students joining us throughout the year. A total of 1,097 participants identified as female and 1,003 as male, showing a very close balance between the two groups. In addition, 6 students identified as non-binary and 1 as transgender, reflecting the diversity of people who come together to study and practice the Dharma at Tushita.
How old are the students in Tushita’s courses (2024)?
Each year, we are happy to accommodate a broad range of students of various ages. In 2024, our students spanned 64 years, with our oldest student being 83 and our youngest 19. Unlike our Introduction to Buddhism courses, which tend to have a predominance of students in their early twenties, our Intermediate courses attract students primarily in their thirties.
Who are our Indian students?
We are overjoyed to welcome so many Indian students to our courses! Let’s take a closer look at our local friends.
Indians Age Range in our courses in 2024
Indians Gender Balance
As shown in the Indian gender balance chart below, although we had slightly more male students than female students this year, it is wonderful to see that the number of female students continues to increase each year. We look forward to welcoming even more Indian women and men in the years to come!
Have our precious students studied Buddhism or meditation before?
We ask this question when students register for a course. From the registration forms for our Introduction to Buddhism courses this year, we gathered the information presented in the chart below.
These statistics tell a very encouraging story about our residential courses in 2024. Nearly half of our students are coming with some initial contact with Buddhism, showing curiosity and a willingness to explore the teachings. At the same time, almost a third are complete beginners, which reminds us that Tushita is truly a welcoming place for anyone starting their journey. It’s also inspiring to see that a significant portion of students already have previous experience, and a few are practicing Buddhists, bringing depth and maturity to the learning environment. Together, this mix of beginners, curious learners, and experienced practitioners creates a vibrant, supportive, and dynamic community where everyone can grow.