Delhi: On 11 July 2025, the Delhi launch of the Tibet Action Institute’s new report titled “When They Came to Take Our Children: China’s Colonial Boarding Schools and the Future of Tibet” was jointly organised by Tibet Action Institute and the India Tibet Coordination Office (ITCO) at the Constitution Club of India, New Delhi. The report exposes the Chinese government’s systematic use of colonial-style boarding schools across Tibet, which forcibly separate children from their families and communities as early as age four, subjecting them to cultural indoctrination, language erasure, and psychological trauma.
The event featured a panel of distinguished speakers including Dr. Gyalo, education expert; Shri Sujeet Kumar, Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha); Shri Amitabh Mathur, retired IPS officer; Shri R.K. Khrimey, Convener of the Core Group for Tibetan Cause–India; Dorjee Tsetan, Program Manager (Asia), Tibet Action Institute; moderator Jyotsna Mehra, Founder of Closed Door; and Tashi Dekyi, Coordinator, ITCO. In his keynote, Shri Sujeet Kumar emphasised the need to confront China’s false narratives and called for greater grassroots and digital advocacy, stating, “It is India-Tibet border. We must take the facts about Tibet to every nook and corner through social media.” Dr. Gyalo presented a disturbing picture of the long-term harm being inflicted on Tibetan children through state-run institutions designed to destroy Tibetan cultural identity.
Shri Amitabh Mathur and Shri R.K. Khrimey expressed deep concern over the cultural genocide taking place in Tibet and reaffirmed their unwavering support for the Tibetan cause. They highlighted the significance of India’s civil society and policy platforms in resisting China’s ongoing repression in Tibet. The event witnessed strong participation from over 30 guests, including representatives from major Indian media houses such as IANS, PTI, TOI, Firstpost, NDTV, Network18, and Republic TV; think tanks like the Centre for China Analysis & Strategy (CCAS) and the Foundation for Non-Violent Alternatives (FNVA); as well as representatives from the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile (TPiE), Taipei Economic & Cultural Centre, Empowering the Vision (EVP), and legal and research professionals from the Rajya Sabha Secretariat.
The event was moderated smoothly by Jyotsna Mehra and concluded with closing remarks from Tashi Dekyi, Coordinator of ITCO, who expressed gratitude to all speakers, guests, and organising teams. She underscored the urgency of amplifying the findings of the report to build international and domestic momentum in support of Tibet. The event was successfully facilitated by Team ITCO and Team Closed Door, with active participation from 12 members of the Core Group for Tibetan Cause–India (CGTC-I), the apex coordinating body for Tibet Support Groups across India.
-Report filed by India Tibet Coordination Office, DIIR, CTA
