Every first Saturday of the month, as a part of its shout-out campaign, DIIR’s Social Media Desk will be profiling a civil servant of Central Tibetan Administration. This week we are pleased to profile Secretary Karma Singey of the Department of Education, Central Tibetan Administration.

Social Media Executive (SME): Could you briefly tell us about yourself?

Karma Singey (KS): I was born in Tibetan Sonamling Settlement, Ladakh. After completing class IX from TCV Ladakh in 1986 and XII from Upper TCV in 1989, I joined Punjab University in Chandigarh to pursue B.A. After graduating with a B.A. degree in 1993 and diploma in Public Relation in 1994, I taught at TCV Suja for a short period before I was selected for one-year Induction Training on Administration conducted by Tibetan Public Service Commission, CTA.

Since my recruitment into the Central Tibetan Administration in 1995, I have served at different Tibetan settlements in various capacities. My first appointment was at the Tibetan Cooperative Society for Jangthang as an accountant and later I was transferred to different Tibetan settlements across India viz: Paonta Sahib, Ladakh, Miao, Manali and Kollegal and worked as Settlement Officer of these respective settlements. I was later promoted as the Chief Representative of Southern Tibetan settlements and served there from 2012 – 2014. In the year 2015, I was transferred to the Department of Education and held the position of Additional Secretary and later promoted to the position of Secretary. From June this year, I will be joining the Office of Tibet, Canberra, Australia as I was recently appointed as Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama for Australia and South East Asia.

SME: Please explain your job description and how best does your work represents you or vice versa.

KS: As a Secretary of the Education Department, I am responsible for the overall supervision, execution, and coordination of all programs and projects of the Department. Presently, the education department is transitioning from the old role of merely focusing on welfare and educational support to a more professional and standardization of school systems by making schools ICT oriented including addressing professional development of the teachers through Teacher Professional Development program, integrating teaching of values in Modern Education to impart Social-Emotional and Ethical (SEE) Learning and developing a common minimum Counselling Guidelines for all schools. Thus, our key priority is providing holistic and quality education to all the children in Tibetan schools.

SME: How best do you think you could make a difference to CTA?

KS: I think strong commitment is the key. We are working in CTA for a greater cause and to achieve that goal we must work with honesty, sincerity, and dedication.

SME: Who is your role model and why?

KS: His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama’s commitment towards world peace, religious harmony and secular ethics is a great inspiration to the whole humanity and I am no exception. Whatever little I have achieved today is because of His Holiness’s blessing and kindness.

SME: What inspired you to serve the Central Tibetan Administration?

KS: Since from my school days I had been highly motivated by my teachers and parents that in order to fulfill the wishes and aspirations of His Holiness the Dalai Lama I must serve in exile Tibetan Government. So their motivation and encouragement truly inspired me to serve with/at CTA.

Besides, I am also inspired by many elderly CTA Civil Servants who had worked very hard with limited resources. So the new Tibetan generation should continue and follow their footsteps and fulfill their aspirations.

SME: What does it mean for you to be a CTA Civil Servant?

KS: I consider it is the responsibility of every Tibetan to support the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) as it is the backbone to carry out our struggle for the restoration of freedom in Tibet. So working in CTA itself is a great opportunity to serve the cause of our nation and people.

SME: What is your piece of advice for young Tibetans serving or wishing to serve at CTA?

KS: Every Tibetan has a moral responsibility to work for the cause of Tibet and I advise our younger generation to join CTA after completion of their education to serve the community who is in dire need of resilient, efficient, dedicated, committed and resourceful manpower.