BIR, HP: “Invest at least 10 hours of everyday for your education in order to succeed,” said Dr. Lobsang Sangay, Sikyong of the Central Tibetan Administration.

Sikyong Dr. Lobsang Sangay was speaking at a ceremony honoring the first batch of Class XII students graduating in Humanities from TCV Suja School on Friday.

Sikyong said he considers it especially important to be attending yesterday’s graduation ceremony as most of the students graduating are from Tibet.

“Many of you are from Tibet and you carry a lot of hopes placed by your parents and families in Tibet in terms of education. The Central Tibetan Administration considers it an important duty to act as your guardian and ensure you achieve the best of results in education,” Sikyong said at the event attended by the staff and students of the school and other local dignitaries.

128 students, mostly from Tibet, are graduating in the first batch of Class XII from TCV Suja School.

Sikyong also said the Tibetan students have an added responsibility to be serious about their education which is not only for the purpose of making a good life for oneself but also for the cause of Tibetan struggle.

“The present cabinet gives education the top priority and accordingly makes a huge investment in it,” Sikyong said adding that there is a direct link between education and development of a society.

“We carry on our shoulders the hopes and aspirations of our brethrens inside Tibet and the only way we can go about fulfilling that hope and aspiration is through education,” Sikyong said while urging the students to study hard by spending at least 10 hours every day for their education.

Sikyong shook hands and presented a Khata to every graduating student and wished them luck for their college.

Following the graduation ceremony, Sikyong met the students of TCV Chauntra and Sambhota School, Chauntra and spoke to them about the importance of education and leadership followed by an interactive session where the students asked questions about education, middle-way policy among others.

Recounting his experience as a political leader of CTA for the last four years, Sikyong said the greatest impetus for a successful leadership is to have a compassionate heart and sense of empathy.

“Empathy gives strength to continue a leadership and to withstand troubled times in a leadership,” Sikyong said of his experience.

Explaining further, Sikyong summarised the foundation of a successful leadership in a five-fold Cs of ‘Compassion, Curiosity, Courage, Communication and Co-ordination.’

Later in the day, Sikyong chaired a meeting at the community hall of Bir Tibetan Settlement and had a lengthy discussion with the heads of the settlements regarding the problems faced in the settlements.

Sikyong finally signed off the day by meeting a group of newly-arrived Tibetans in Bir and toured a site purchased by CTA to settle them. The site is currently being developed and Sikyong gave a patient hearing to the challenges faced by the Tibetans and assured them of all possible help that Central Tibetan Administration can provide.