Every first Saturday of the month, as a part of its shout-out campaign, DIIR’s Social Media Desk will be profiling a civil servant of Central Tibetan Administration. This week we are pleased to profile Lobsang Tsetan, one of the official drivers for Central Tibetan Administration.

Social Media Executive (SME): Could you briefly tell us about yourself?

Lobsang Tsetan (LT): My name is Lobsang Tsetan. My hometown is camp no. 5 of Ladakh Sonamling Tibetan Settlement. My father’s name is Pema Jungne and my mother’s name is Tsering Dikyi. I am married to Penpa Tsamchoe and we have a son and a daughter namely Tenzin Jigme and Tenzin Choetso. I did my schooling from TCV Ladakh. Since my childhood, I was fascinated by cars and I have always wanted to learn to drive. With that ambition, I pursued my career in driving. Before I actually began to drive, I used to be a conductor of the truck under the mentorship of a Tibetan driver.

SME: Please explain your job description, and how best does your work represent you or vice versa?

LT: In the mid-1993, my paternal uncle informed me about a job vacancy for a driver at Central Tibetan Administration in Dharamshala. From 1993 to 1995,  I was driving (རང་ཁུངས་ལས་བྱེད་) for the Department of Information and International Relations (DIIR). In 1995, I was recruited permanently as CTA civil servant and since then I have been driving officially for the same department for about 25 years. It has been such a privileged journey for me as I was fortunate to have escorted His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama whenever His Holiness had to make a teaching trip outside Dharamshala. Currently, I am driving for the Department of Home.

SME: What inspired you to serve the Central Tibetan Administration?

LT: When I was young, I aspired to be a CTA civil servant. I was inspired by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama’s dedication to the cause of Tibet and the Tibetan people. Whatever we have now is because of His Holiness’ blessing. With this determination and gratitude in my heart, I am able to carry out my duty diligently.

SME: What does it mean for you to be a CTA civil servant?

LT:  I am proud to call myself a CTA civil servant. My family and friends are proud of my decade-long service at the Central Tibetan Administration.

SME: How best do you think you could make a difference to CTA? Any experiences that you would like to share?

LT:  As an official CTA driver, I have to be flexible to work beyond my normal working hours (that is from 9 am to 5 pm) and doing this, I have no complaint and feel no regret. In fact, every morning I wake up I am charged with a sense of determination and gratitude to carry out my duty. With the blessing of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, I am healthy and I have never faced a mishap during the course of work.

SME: Who is your role model and why?

LT: Without the slightest doubt, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama is my role model. Whatever we have now is only due to the benevolence and the dedication of His Holiness’ towards the Tibetan people and the cause of Tibet.

SME Would you like to provide any guidance or suggestions for young Tibetans serving or wishing to serve at CTA?

LT:  The only appropriate advice I would give to the Tibetan Millennials is to valuably utilise the precious time. I would like to urge them to study well and make contributions to the administration in their own capacities. Last but not the least, when you serve with full heart and determination, you will definitely have better results and success in life. I have been working with full dedication for the past 26 years and I am quite proud to say I have not faced any major challenges while carrying out my responsibilities.

Tashi Delek!