As a part of its shout-out campaign, Social Media Desk of the Department of Information and International Relations (DIIR) will be profiling a civil servant of the Central Tibetan Administration. This week we are pleased to profile Mr Tenzin Lodoe, Office Secretary at Miao Choephelling Tibetan Settlement in Arunachal Pradesh.
Social Media Executive (SME): Could you briefly tell us about yourself?
Tenzin Lodoe (TL): My name is Tenzin Lodoe and I was born into a nomad family in the small village of Amdo Machu, Tibet. I had to leave my family and homeland at a tender age. No parent wishes to separate from their children, but my parents made that painful decision to keep me and my younger brother away from Chinese oppression and brainwashing policy.
I joined SOS TCV Suja in the year 2000 and studied up to 10th standard. For my higher secondary education, I studied at SOS TCV Bylakuppe. Thereafter, I completed my Bachelor’s degree in Geography at Delhi University in 2013.
After fleeing into exile, I never had a chance to meet my family for more than 2 decades. Sadly, both my parents passed away in my absence. It is always painful knowing that I couldn’t communicate with my parents and didn’t get a chance to tell them that their son is now the father of two children and working at Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) in exile.
SME: Please explain your job description and how best your work represents you or vice versa?
TL: My first job placement was at the Kashag Secretariat where I worked for more than two years. I was then transferred successively to five different Tibetan settlements in India. Since then, I have been rendering my services as an accountant cum office secretary besides assisting the Settlement Officer in overseeing different projects and securing many others towards the welfare of the Tibetans under the jurisdiction. Currently, I am working as an Office Secretary in Miao Choephelling Tibetan Settlement.
SME: What inspired you to serve the Central Tibetan Administration?
TL: I owe my gratitude to His Holiness the Dalai Lama and my parents who have consistently guided me to become a responsible individual.
SME: What does it mean for you to be a CTA civil Servant?
TL: Taking part in our struggle journey is an inevitable duty that history has assigned to every one of us. And, to be able to take part as a responsible citizen for the Tibetan community through the Central Tibetan Administration gives me immense joy and satisfaction.
SME: How best do you think you could make a difference to CTA?
TL: I don’t think an individual can make that of a big difference, but I do believe that every individual’s dedication, hard work and experiences will certainly strengthen the Tibetan cause.
SME: Who is your role model and why?
TL: Of course, His Holiness the Great 14th Dalai Lama and my parents were my role models, but I am equally motivated by the spirit and sacrifice of the Tibetans inside Tibet.
SME: What is your piece of advice for young Tibetan serving or wishing to serve at CTA?
TL: First of all, the most important thing is to know that China is intensively using the race extinction policy in Tibet in various ways to maximise oppression. And the very purpose of CTA in exile is to keep alive our unresolved political struggle. So anyone who is serving or willing to serve should have that mindset to work better.