Dharamshala: As part of his final official engagements in Shillong, Sikyong Penpa Tsering addressed the Tibetan community and visited Sambhota Tibetan School in Shillong on 13 November 2022.
Sikyong also called on the honourable Chief Minister of Meghalaya, Shri Conrad K Sangma, at the latter’s residence on the same day. The two exchanged souvenirs on behalf of their respective peoples. In his official twitter account, Meghalaya’s Chief Minister tweeted, “It was my pleasure to meet His Excellency Sikyong Penpa Tsering, Sikyong of the Central Tibetan Administration at my residence today. I welcome him to Meghalaya” later in the evening.
Shri. Donald Phillips Wahlang, IAS, Chief Secretary to the Government of Meghalaya, hosted a breakfast reception for the visiting Sikyong and the two conversed on various issues.
Accompanied by Tibetan Settlement Officer (TSO) Pema Dhondup, Sikyong kicked off his visitation in the region by touring offices of the Local Tibetan Assembly, Local Tibetan Freedom Movement, Tibetan Settlement Office and local Tibetan Men-Tsee-Khang. The chairs of Local Tibetan Assembly member and Tibetan Freedom Movement also escorted Sikyong during the visits.
Sikyong then met and addressed Tibetan residents at the community hall of Shillong Gaden Choeling Monastery in the presence of Shillong-based Tibetan Parliamentarian Tsering Dolma, TSO and Abbot of the monastery. He stressed the importance of accurate demographic statistics of exiled Tibetans for strategising future policies and plans while emphasising continuous sustenance of the Tibetan settlements and schools in India, given the diminishing Tibetan population in exile. He further apprised the evolution of the unique Tibetan democratic system in exile and added that the “Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) prioritise interests of the Tibetan people” to the gathering.
Additionally, Sikyong implored Tibetans to constantly listen and follow the advice of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, for their positive and tremendous effects in resolving the Tibet cause. He also informed His Holiness’ assurance to live for another 10-20 years.
Finally, before ending his talk, Sikyong urged the general Tibetan public to contribute to the CTA’s funding and functioning by increasing their payment of Chatrel: a yearly voluntary contribution to the CTA by all Tibetans.
Following his interaction with the local Tibetans, Sikyong and his entourage visited Shillong Tibetan Sambhota School, where he highlighted the significance of environmental influences to students’ growth. He persuaded parents to spend time with their children and teach Tibet’s centuries-old ethics and morality. Illustrating the Tibetan Muslim community’s adoption of Tibetan as a primary language of communication within their household to preserve their dialect, he told parents to teach and speak Tibetan with their children.
Apart from these, Sikyong met MLA of East Shillong, Dr Ampreen Lyngdoh, the editor of Shillong Times cum social activist Patricia Mukhim, Smt. Isawanda Laloo (IAS Deputy Commissioner, East Khasi Hills District), IPS Shri Sylvester Nongtnger, Easter Kharbomon and Vikas Gupta of Bharat Tibbat Samanvay Sangh during his two-day official engagements in Shillong.