Bylakuppe: Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, the monastic seat of Panchen nestled in Bylakuppe Tibetan Settlement in exile celebrated the 34th birth anniversary of Panchen Lama Gedhun Choekyi Nyima.
Every year on his birthday, individuals to organisations and NGOs to Government level campaign for his immediate release from Chinese custody. This year too, a campaign in his honour was launched by supporters of the Tibetan cause, Sh. Kishan Singh Sugara, retd. (Principal Chief Conservator of Forests) and Sh.Soumyadeep Dutta ( Regional Convener, Core Group for Tibetan Cause-North East Region).
As someone who has spent his service in the administration of the forest department especially supervising lands leased to Tibetan Settlements in Karnataka, KS Sugara recounted his experience and memoirs of his interactions with Tibetan people from Kumaon, Uttarakhand and the Karnataka State. He expressed gratitude for the values added to the lands leased to Tibetans and meanwhile reassured India’s support for the Tibetan freedom struggle.
Soumaydeep Dutta shared his concern about the plight of Tibetans inside Tibet including the 11th Panchen Lama whose whereabouts to date remain ambiguous. He further raised concern over the ecological damage in Tibet brought upon by the illegal damming project of China which has a severe repercussion on the survival of the Asian subcontinent. He appealed to China for the unconditional release of Panchen Lama.
The celebration was led by Tsultrim Rinpoche and the Master of Ceremony was presented by Ven. Kachen Jamyang.
-Reported by Chief Representative Office, Bangalore