Kalon Tripa Visits Phuntsokling Tibetan Settlement in Dalhousie[Tuesday, 21 September 2010, 4:41 p.m.]

The Tibetan community in Dalhousie welcome Kalon Tripa on his arrival on Sunday, 19 September 2010/Photos by Lobsang Tsering/Tibetonline TV

Dalhousie:
Kalon Tripa Prof Samdong Rinpoche paid a two-day visit to Phuntsokling
Tibetan Settlement based in the picturesque hill station of Dalhousie,
located some 145 km from Dharamsala.Phuntsokling Settlement at
Dalhousie is one of the earliest Tibetan refugee settlement established
in India in 1960. It has a current population of about 1438.The
settlement started a traditional handicraft centre as the mainstay of
the livelihood of over 2,500 Tibetan new arrivals. The handicraft
centre was later registered as charitable society in 1973 with the
governing bodies consisting of the elected members who makes major
decisions in running the centre.

Schoolchildren and faculty members welcome Kalon Tripa

It
has one of the oldest Central School for Tibetans which was established
in May 1963 under the auspices of the Central Tibetan Schools
Administration, Ministry of Human Resource Development of the Indian
government. Many of its former students are currently holding very
responsible positions in the Tibetan community. The school has a
current enrollment of around 400 students with Humanities Stream at the
+2 level. There are 44 teaching and non-teaching regular staff.The settlement also has two health centres run by the department of health and Men-Tsee Khang.The
Tibetan Welfare Officer deputed by the Central Tibetan Administration
is responsible for managing the over all administration and
socio-economic development of the settlement.The welfare
officer is accountable to the elected members of local assembly which
meets twice a year to keep checks and balances on the administration.In
his address to the settlers yesterday, Kalon Tripa stressed the
importance of electing the Tibetan welfare officer among the community,
which he said has many educated people.

Kalon Tripa greets students and teachers

Kalon Tripa also gave a background information about the origin of the settlement.Speaking
about His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s wish to visit Phuntsokling
settlement, Kalon Tripa told the settlers to pray for his visit.His Holiness paid two visits to Dalhousie, the first was in June-July 1960.Kalon Tripa said owing to His Holiness’s busy schedule a visit could not be materialised until now.Later in the afternoon, Kalon Tripa visited the Tibetan school and addressed students and faculty members.Kalon
Tripa departed Dalhousie for Saharanpur where he was scheduled to
address an Indian school. He will then go to Mussoorie and Dickyiling
Tibetan settlement in Uttaranchal.Kalon Tripa had already visited other Tibetan settlements based in the north Indian state of Himachal Pradesh in July this year.