
Sikyong Penpa Tsering Talks on Significance of Tibetan Plateau and Tibet’s Water Resources at Sambhota Tibetan Day School, Herbertpur. Photo / Tenzin Tenkyong / bod.asia
Herbertpur: On the morning of 27 September 2024, Sikyong Penpa Tsering visited Sambhota Tibetan Day School in Herbertpur. Upon his arrival, Sikyong received a warm welcome from the school’s Principal, Sonam Palkyi, along with faculty members and students. Following this, Sikyong toured the classroom and observed the class sessions.
Afterwards, during a gathering, Sikyong discussed the spiritual connection between Tibet and India and emphasised the geopolitical significance of the Tibetan plateau and its ecological importance. Sikyong also commended the Tibetan and Indian teachers and students at the school for exemplifying harmony and appreciated the coexistence of two different cultures within the same educational environment.
In this connection, Sikyong Penpa Tsering mentioned that although Tibetans have been in exile in India for over 65 years, awareness about the Tibet issue among the Indian public remains very low. Therefore, he considers it important to raise awareness about the Tibet issue among the Indian public, especially among the youth. Sikyong stated that he has been giving talks about Tibet at various Indian educational institutions, including universities. Similarly, since many local Indian students are studying at the Sambhota Day School in Herbertpur, he felt it was important to give a talk about Tibet there as well.
In his talk, Sikyong narrated the historical accounts of the first Tibetan king, who originated from India, and the derivation of Tibetan scripts and religion from India. Likewise, Sikyong also spoke about the current relations between the two nations and expressed his appreciation to the government and people of India for extending assistance to Tibetan refugees following His Holiness-led Tibetans’ flight into exile.
Similarly, Sikyong discussed the significance of the Tibetan Plateau, which is also known as the “Roof of the World,” the “Third Pole,” or “Asia’s Water Tower.” Sikyong said, “The rivers originating from Tibet, such as Yarlung Tsangpo, Machu, and Dzachu, have become the lifeline for hundreds of millions of people in Asia”. Sikyong further pointed out that two of the world’s oldest civilizations, the Indus Valley Civilization and the Chinese Civilization, also depended on Tibet’s rivers.
However, Sikyong shared his concerns regarding the Chinese Communist government’s ongoing mismanagement of Tibetan rivers, which will have severe repercussions in the future.





