DHARAMSHALA: The College for Higher Tibetan Studies, a branch college under the Institute of Buddhist Dialectics set up in 1996 at Sarah village near Dharamshala, today marked its 16th founding anniversary.
Presiding over the function to mark the occasion, Sikyong Dr. Lobsang Sangay congratulated the former and present staff, and students for their considerable achievement in the field of education since its inception.
He mentioned that the Institute of Buddhist Dialectics has made great contribution to the Tibetan society in the field of education.
Ven. Jamphel Dakpa, the principal of the college, spoke on the evolution and study programmes of the college. Under the guidance and with seed money from His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the late Ven. Rev Lobsang Gyatso took the task of establishing the college in 1991. After completion, His Holiness formally inaugurated it on 13 August 1998.
In August 2001, the then-education Kalon Rinchen Khando named the college as “College for Higher Tibetan Studies” and recognised it as a standard college for imparting Tibetan studies.
The college offers studies on Tibetan literature and language. It also trains its students in personal development, management skills and education. Its curriculum includes modern subjects and innovations in order to keep abreast with developments in an increasingly literate and technological world. Students from Tibet and other Himalayan regions in India, and countries like Korea, Vietnam, Mongolia, Mexico, The United States, Australia, Germany, Portugal, Uruguay, Mexico, Canada, Taiwan, Russia, Britain, Switzerland and Israel, study at the college.
Sikyong felicitated the newly appointed professors and associate professors with traditional Tibetan scarf. He distributed prizes and certificates to monks and students during the function.
2,137 students have graduated from this college since 2000. There are 253 students currently at the college.
