
Sikyong Penpa Tsering, Central Tibetan Administration, addressing a group of students from Maharaja Sayajirao University and participants of Tibetan Leadership Workshop. Photo / Tenzin Jigme Taydeh / CTA
Dharamshala: Sikyong Penpa Tsering of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) addressed the participants of the Leadership Workshop for Tibetan school prefects and captains and a group of students from Maharaja Sayajirao University (MSU) today at the Sikyong auditorium to shed light on Tibetan freedom struggle and functionings of democratic exile Tibetan administration.
Following a brief introduction about the Tibetan leadership workshop programme and study tour programme of the MSU’s Faculty of Social Work from the respective programme coordinators, the democratically elected leader of CTA then spoke to the gathering.
Sikyong said, “We are the only democracy in exile and only partyless democracy in the world,” as he began his talk with a succinct explanation of the establishment of Tibetan democratic polity in exile under the guidance of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. He also alluded to the geo-strategic significance of the Tibetan plateau and constant Tibet advocacy campaigns undertaken by Tibetan parliamentarians against the backdrop of the PRC’s intensifying and pervasive distorted narratives on Tibetan history. Given Tibet’s location between the two largest populated countries in the world, and possession of rich natural water resources that feds most of the Asian countries, Sikyong underscored the quick resolution of Tibet-China conflict as a solution to the harmonious relationship between the two Asian giants as well as mitigation of water crises in the Southeast Asian regions. Hence, the exile Tibetan political leader highlighted the policy of the CTA’s Middle Way Approach that seeks to restore freedom in Tibet through non-violence, dialogue, and genuine autonomy.
Apart from these, Sikyong Penpa Tsering also spoke briefly about the ancient ties between Tibet and India in the presence of Indian college students from MSU. He said, “We are the repository of ancient Indian wisdom,” to emphasise the Nalanda tradition of Buddhism that Tibet adopted during the reign of King Trisong Detsen from India, while also mentioning the derivation of Tibetan script from India’s Devanagari.
Sikyong answered queries asked by the gathering before concluding his talk.

Participants of the leadership workshop for Tibetan school prefects and captains during the Sikyong talk. Photo / Tenzin Jigme Taydeh / CTA

An international student among visiting students from Maharaja Sayajirao University attending Sikyong Penpa Tsering’s talk. Photo / Tenzin Jigme Taydeh / CTA

A student from TCV school asking question to Sikyong Penpa Tsering following the talk. Photo / Tenzin Jigme Taydeh / CTA

Additional Secretary Tenzin Dorjee, Head of Academic Section, DoE, introducing the leadership workshop programme. Photo / Tenzin Jigme Taydeh / CTA

Prof. Dr. Ankur Saxena from Maharaja Sayajirao University introducing their study tour programme. Photo / Tenzin Jigme Taydeh / CTA