Pandoh: On 23 August 2025, Sikyong Penpa Tsering visited the Pandoh Tashiling Tibetan Settlement, where he toured the Jangchup Lhakhang and the settlement office before addressing the local Tibetan residents settling in Pandoh, Mandi, and Sundar Nagar.

Earlier that day, while travelling from Rewalsar to Pandoh, Sikyong also visited the Mandi Tibetan Refugee Market.

During a gathering held at the Local Tibetan Assembly Hall, Tibetan Settlement Officer Jamyang Dolma presented a report on the settlement’s current status and developments.

Reiterating key points from his previous visits to other Tibetan settlements, Sikyong spoke to the residents about the Department of Home’s Building Back Compact Communities project. He emphasised the need to rethink the sustainability of Tibetan settlements as their populations continue to decline due to various factors. Sikyong recommended that, if opportunities arise, residents consider joining larger Tibetan settlements that form part of the compact community initiative.

“Our objective is to build compact communities where Tibetans can preserve their linguistic and cultural heritage while also easing the administrative burden on the Central Tibetan Administration,” Sikyong stressed. He further noted that larger settlements also provide better access to facilities and services.

At the same time, Sikyong acknowledged and appreciated the contributions of the settlement’s elders, especially during the formative years of the exile community. He praised the settlement, noting, “This settlement has the highest ratio of younger generations joining the Central Tibetan Administration and other Tibetan institutions to serve the exile community. It stands as an admirable example for other settlements.”

Later that day, Sikyong commenced the next leg of his official visit to two cluster Tibetan settlements and scattered communities under the jurisdiction of the Tibetan Settlement Office in Kullu-Manali.