DHARAMSHALA: A seven-day comprehensive training on Tibetan language for staff of the Department of Information and International Relations (DIIR) is currently underway at the DIIR auditorium.

The two secretaries of the department, Mr. Sonam Norbu Dagpo, Secretary for International Relations and Mr. Tashi Phuntsok, Secretary for information, inaugurated the training this morning.The training is being attended by fifteen staff from the department.

Mr. Tashi Phuntsok, Secretary for information which include all the media desks under the department gave the inaugural address of the training. He explained that the training is aimed at enhancing the language capacity of DIIR staff particularly those working in the field of Tibetan media and others whose work requires the constant need of Tibetan language skills.

“The training will focus on basic Tibetan grammar, methods of translation, transliteration of Tibetan texts, standard Tibetan terminologies, Tibetan spellings, etc. We hope that this training will go a long way in developing the language skills of our staff which in turn would help them perform their respective works more effectively,” he said.

Mr. Sonam Norbu Dagpo, Secretary for International Relations, stressed in his address that the participants should be able to recount difficulties in their daily experiences in language proficiency in Tibetan. And through this workshop be able to rectify them.

Mr. Kalsang Khedup, Editor in Chief of Tibetan media, narrated brief biographies of Mr. Naga Sangay Tender and Ven. Lhakpa Tsering, the two chief trainers of the training. Mr. Naga Sangay Tender is a renowned Tibetan researcher from the Library of Tibetan works and Archives (LTWA) and Ven. Lhakpa Tsering is a scholar from Central University of Tibetan Studies, Varanasi.

Others who will be conducting sessions during the training include Geshe Lobsang Drakpa from Namgyal Monastery, Ven. Thubten Yarphel from Namgyal Monastery and Mr. Kalsang Khedup from DIIR.