Tezu, Arunachal Pradesh: Sikyong Penpa Tsering of the Central Tibetan Administration arrived in Tezu early Wednesday morning to begin his two-week-long assessment visit to Tibetan settlements across Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya in the North East region of India.

Upon his maiden arrival at the Tezu airport, Sikyong and the delegation of CTA were warmly welcomed by Zila Parishad member Angen Mini, Sub-divisional Officer Lui Chiba, Circle Officer Abraham Modi, Superintendent of Police (SP) Shri Minjom Ete and Political Assistant (Tibetan) Jogin Tamai.

Acting Tibetan Settlement Officer Tenzin Lodoe, North East Tibetan Settlements Coordinator Tenzin Chokden, President of Tezu Local Tibetan Assembly Tenzin Namdol, President of Tezu Bod-Rangwang Denpai Legul Phuntsok Dorjee, Miao Tibetan Settlement Officer Dorjee Rinzin, and President of Miao Local Tibetan Assembly Rinzin Dorjee were also present at the airport reception.

Upon arrival at Tezu settlement, Sikyong paid a visit to Lhagon Jangchub Choeling Monastery to offer prayers to mark the beginning of his northeast maiden tour. He met with Zongchen Ganor Rinpoche and updated the latter about the well-being of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and the two interacted for some time. Following that, Sikyong visited the Tezu Settlement office and interacted with Acting Tibetan Settlement Officer Tenzin Lodoe and the staff.

Sikyong then visited the governmental and local civil society groups, including Tibetan Multipurpose Co-Operative Society ltd Tezu, Men-Tsee-Khang Clinic, the local Tibetan Health Care Centre, the elderly home, Local Tibetan Assembly, and Bod-Rangwang Denpai Legul office.

In the afternoon, Sikyong and the delegation visited Sambhota Tibetan school for an inspection tour and interacted with the students and staff.  At his address at the school, Sikyong highlighted the concern about the dwindling number of Tibetan students enrolled in Tibetan schools. Sikyong apprised the gathering about the estimated reduction of 10,000 Tibetan students enrolled in Tibetan schools between 2012-2021 per the 16th Kashag’s assessment report. The probable reason for such a reduction, Sikyong noted, is primarily due to the declining birth rate in the community and the migration of Tibetans abroad.

Sikyong also raised the shoddy condition of the school’s infrastructure facilities and delivered assurance to do the needful to recover the lacking, including to review improving the employment conditions of the teachers within a budget constraint of the Kashag.

Following the address at the school,  a courtesy call was paid to the Sikyong by Tezu MLA Karikho Kri, who was accompanied by Zila Parishad member Angen Mini.

To conclude his official engagements for the day, Sikyong visited each of the five Tibetan camps and interacted with the settlers, who arranged a cultural show for Sikyong before he retired for the day.