NEW DELHI: The national executive meeting of one of the largest Tibet support groups in India, Bharat Tibbat Sahyog Manch (BTSM), was held yesterday in the national capital. The day-long meeting was aimed to review and reinvigorate the functioning of the organisation and the Tibet movement.

Ninety-five executive members, representing BTSM from 19 different states, participated in this one day meeting in light of the current critical situation inside Tibet. Two founding members of the organisation were also present during the meeting as guest speakers, shri Indresh Kumar, Patron of BTSM and Acharya Yeshi Phuntsok, Member of Tibetan Parliament in exile and also the National Vice President of BTSM. The chief guest was Shri Suresh Ji, who is the founder of Sudarshan TV channel. Other speakers were Dr. Kuldeep Chand Agnihotri, acting president of BTSM and Shri Ashok Mende, the national general secretary of BTSM.

The programme started with the lighting of lamp and offering of flower garland to the portrait of the Buddha and His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

The agenda of the morning session includes deliberations on BTSM’s Tibet rally to Tawang and other campaigns carried out in 2012 across India. In the evening session, the members held extensive discussion to create an action plan for this year and to mobilise people both in the organisation and at the grass-root level on the issue of Tibet.

BTSM was formed on 5 May 1999 in Dharamshala and since then it has turned into one of the major strength of Tibet movement in India with around 200 chapters all over the country. It aims to restore freedom for the Tibetan people and their return to Tibet with respect and dignity.