Joint Secretary Dorjee Rinzin Assumes Charge as Chief Representative Officer of Tibetan Settlements in Northeast Zone

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Darjeeling: Joint Secretary (Equivalent) Dorjee Rinzin officially took charge as the new Chief Representative Officer (CRO) of Northeast Zone cum Tibetan Settlement Officer (TSO) of Darjeeling on 30 July 2024.

The handing and taking-over of the charge between acting Settlement Officer Tenzin Rangdol and incoming CRO began on 1 August in the presence of official witness Joint Secretary Migmar Dorjee from the Department of Home (CTA).

The first day of the handing-taking process which includes exchange of official documents, files, books, office goods and important particulars in possession of the settlement officer concluded with a short visit to the Tibetan Refugee Self-Help Centre, where old office goods of the staff quarters are stored for the time being due to the ongoing construction of the office and multipurpose building project since last year.

On the subsequent day, the incoming and acting Settlement Officers, along with the official witness, visited Tashiling Tibetan Settlement to see the Coordinator’s office and meet with the public. Kelsang, the Coordinator of Tibetan settlement in Sonada, introduced the visiting group to the public, after which, the group visited 9th Mile-Lamahatta area to check the small portion of a plot under the Central Tibetan Relief Committee and interacted with the families who are still residing there.

Consequently, on the third day, 3 August 2024, the formal handing-taking ceremony was held with ceremonial procession of offering of white scarves before the portrait of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama by the attendees. The acting TSO cum Office Secretary delivered a welcome and introductory speech, following which, the office seal and TSO files were handed over to the incoming CRO cum TSO Darjeeling.

The ceremony was attended by Presidents of the Regional Freedom Movement and Regional Tibetan Women’s Association, Principal of Sambhota Tibetan School, Chief Medical Officer from Chagpori Medical Institute, a representative of Regional Tibetan Youth Congress, and Chairman and executive members of Cholkhasum.

In their respective talks, both the official witness and the CRO cum TSO of Darjeeling addressed the frequent changes in TSOs over a short period and emphasised the importance of collaborative efforts for the common good. They praised the Tibetan community in and around Darjeeling for their resilience and ability to thrive despite the challenges of living in dispersed locations far from Dharamshala. They further informed the gathering about the establishment of a new CRO for the Northeast Zone, who will oversee Tibetan settlements across a broad area, including Darjeeling, Kalimpong, and Sonada in West Bengal; Gangtok and Ravangla in Sikkim; Shillong in Meghalaya; Miao, Tezu, Tuting, Tenzingang, and Bomdila in Arunachal Pradesh; and Dimapur in Nagaland.

Following this, representatives from various associations and a member of the local project construction committee visited the site of the office and multipurpose building to review the progress of the ongoing construction work.

On 4 August, local Tibetan associations led by Regional Tibetan Freedom Movement and Regional Tibetan Women’s Association hosted a dinner reception in honor of the presence of CTA’s representative and the new CRO at Gakhil Hotel, Darjeeling.

-Report filed by TSO, Darjeeling