DHARAMSHALA: Home Kalon Gyari Dolma met top officials of the Indian home ministry and Himachal Pradesh during her recent visit to New Delhi and Shimla.

The Kalon met Mr Kiren Rijiju, Minister of State, Home Ministry, Government of India, and Home Secretary Mr Anil Goswami in New Delhi on 8 Oct. She was accompanied by Mr Palden Dhondup, Additional Secretary of Home Department and Mr Tsewang Gyalpo Arya, Secretary of Bureau of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in New Delhi.

The Kalon apprised the two Indian officials of important issues relating to the Tibetan refugees in India during her recent visit to New Delhi.  Mr Rijiju expressed his appreciation for the Tibetan administration’s efforts in proper rehabilitation of the Tibetan refugees in India. She briefed the home secretary on some major problems faced by the administration in the Tibetan settlements and submitted a memorandum. Secretary Mr Anil Goswami expressed happiness on meeting the Tibetan delegation and receiving updates on Tibetan refugees. He assured that the problems discussed during the meeting shall be looked into and addressed accordingly.

Kalon Dolma Gyari expressed her deep gratitude to the government and people of India for their long-standing support for Tibetans over the last fifty years.

She also met the joint secretary of the Home Ministry (Rehabilitation) and discussed the problem faced by the Tibetans and local nomads in the Jangthang area in Ladakh, and proposed socio-economic relief in the area so that the nomads could continue to live in the area.

Earlier during her visit to Shimla, the capital of Himachal Pradesh, from 30 Sept – 1 Oct, Kalon Dolma Gyari called on Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and other key leaders, including Mr Kaul Singh Thakur, Health and Revenue minister; Mr G.S. Bali, Food civil Suppies & Consumer Affairs Minister; Mr Sudhir Sharma, Urban Development Minister; Mr Vijai Singh Mankotia, Vice Chairman of H.P. Tourism Development Board; Mr Prathasarthi Mitra, Chief Secretary and Mr Ganesh Dutt, the spokesperson of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

They discussed some of the important issues such as India’s policy on Tibetans living in the country, rehabilitation of Tibetans in Shimla, forest land issues of Tibetans in Mcleod Ganj and the upcoming Himalayan festival in Dharamshala. The chief minister and other leaders assured every possible support to address the genuine concern of the Tibetans in the state and expressed their unwavering reverence and respect for His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Kalon Dolma Gyari also visited the Tibetan settlement at Shimla, addressed the public and heard their grievances. She was accompanied by Mr Dawa Tsering, Member of Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, Mr Sonam Dorjee and Mr Tsering Tashi, Settlement officers of Dharamshala and Shimla.