22 Oct 2022, Bengaluru: In an effort to reach out to Tibetan students studying at different colleges, universities and institutions in Bengaluru, Chief Representative Office (CRO) of South Zone, with permission from the concerned administration, met with Tibetan students at St. John’s College of Nursing, Koramangala, Bengaluru. Presently, 74 students from 17 different settlements in India, including Nepal and Tibet, are studying at the institutions.
Ngawang Seldon, a tutor at the college, introduced the Chief Representative Office and the purpose of organising the meeting. She expressed an apology for not being able to have Principal Madam at the meeting due to some unforeseen circumstances.
It was then surprisingly discovered during the interaction that 90% of students were unaware of Chief Representative Office, Bangalore.
The students were then informed about the inception of the CRO Office, its responsibilities, and its jurisdictions. The plight of the Tibetan’s escape to India in 1959, the challenges met thereafter, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama’s fear, hope and conviction through journey into exile and insurmountable solidarity and faith of Tibetans inside Tibet were retold to the students.
CRO shared about the policies and programs being implemented by present Kashag, keeping in view the aspirations of Tibetans inside and outside Tibet. Emphasising the need to assume each and every student holds the mutual responsibility to represent Tibetan identity is indeed the need of the hour that was highlighted during the meeting.
During Q & A Session, some students raised the DoE scholarship issues that emerged out of delayed admissions due to Pandemic causes that could have been broadly reconsidered by concerned Central Tibetan administration departments.
Tashi Choezom, the 1st year Post Basic BSc Nursing (Representative of Tibetan Nursing Students Community at St. John’s College of Nursing), shared annual activities being carried out by Tibetan Students with permission granted by the administration of the institution.
On behalf of the office, CRO Jigmey Tsultrim expressed gratitude to St. John’s College of Nursing and especially to Tutor Ngawang Seldon for organising a meeting within the campus which had almost complete attendance of the students. The former and present members of the Tibetan Nursing Students Community were also presented with ceremonial scarves during the meeting.
-Report filed by CRO – South Zone