Dharamshala: As part of Media Outreach Program of New Delhi-based India Tibet Coordination Office(ITCO), a six-member delegation of Indian journalists from four different Indian cities associated with Tibetan Winter Sweater Business visited the Central Tibetan Administration in Dharamsala from 26 – 28 September.
The purpose of the visit was to gain firsthand experience of Tibetan establishments in exile.
The delegation comprised of Shri Gaurav Bardwaj, Dainik Jagran, Agra; Shri Shakti Singh Parmar, Dainik Swadesh, Indore; Shri Neelmegh Chaturvedi, Freelance Journalist, Indore; Ms Shaloo Shukla, Hindusthan Samachar, Noida; Ms Sonali Thakur, TV9 Bharatvarsh, Delhi; and Ms Shalu Agrawal, Amar Ujala, Meerut.
The media delegation met Secretary Tsewang Gyalpo Arya, Department of Information and International Relations (DIIR) who briefed them about Tibet and the whole administration set up.
Similarly, they visited the Department of Home, Kashag (Cabinet Secretariat) and the Tibetan parliamentary secretariat and met with Kalon of Department of Education and Deputy Director of Tibet Policy Institute.
They later called on Speaker Pema Jungney, Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile who briefed them about the Tibetan Parliament and the ongoing parliamentary session. They were also hosted inside the observer’s chamber of the Tibetan parliament to witness the proceedings of the Tibetan Parliament in session.
The media delegation also toured other Tibetan establishments in and around Dharamshala including the Tibet Museum. They visited the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives where they met the Director Geshe Lhakdor. The delegation visited the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) where Ms Tsering Tsomo, Director spoke about the current situation inside Tibet. Later they visited Men-Tsee-Khang, Tibetan Medical and Astrological Institute and Upper Tibetan Childrens Village (TCV) where they were received by Director Tsultrim Dorjee.
The media delegation were impressed upon seeing the homely atmosphere and holistic education imparted to the students. Later they met TCV President Thupten Dorjee.
On the last day, the media delegation had an interactive session with some of the Tibetan NGOs based in Dharamshala coordinated by the Tibetan Welfare Office, Dharamshala. They visited Tibetan Welfare Office’s Environment Section, Paper Recycle Unit and it’s main office.
The six-member journalists were accompanied by Mr Gonpo, Deputy Coordinator and Mr Choney Tsering, Program officer, India Tibet Coordination Office based in New Delhi.
The media outreach program is a program to provide Indian media personnel with firsthand experience on the democratic set up of Central Tibetan Administration and its functionaries; and other Tibetan establishments in exile.
-Filed by India Tibet Coordination Office
