DHARAMSHALA: Tenzin Damdhul, a student from TCV Suja, received the prestigious Sikyong Scholarship, the highest academic honour for a Tibetan student in exile, after securing 95.8% in the recently concluded class 12 CBSE examinations. He is the second Tibetan student and the first boy to bag the award since the announcement of the scholarship in 2012.
Sikyong Dr. Lobsang Sangay met the boy at his official chambers today to personally congratulate him for his stupendous achievement.
“I congratulate Tenzin Damdhul for his remarkable achievement and appreciate the hard work that he put in to succeed in the class XII board examination,” Sikyong said.
Sikyong also complimented the principals, teachers, parents, and staff members of Tibetan schools for their role in delivering an impressive academic result this year. He further sent his best wishes to all the students and urged them to continue their efforts in achieving excellence in college.
Sikyong Scholarship, worth one lac rupees, is the most prestigious scholarship for Tibetan students awarded by the Department of Education, Central Tibetan Administration. It was introduced in 2012 during Sikyong Dr. Lobsang Sangay’s stint as the education Kalon to encourage Tibetan students in exile to pursue academic excellence.
The scholarship is awarded to those who scores more than 95% in class 12 CBSE board examinations. The last recipient of the scholarship was Tenzin Chokyi, a girl from THF Mussoorie, who scored 95.4% in 2013.
Tenzin Damdhul, this year’s recipient of the scholarship, is from TCV School, Suja, about two hours away from Dharamshala. Coming from a humble background, Tenzin Damdul’s father is an ex-army man and his mother runs a small shop in Ooty, south India.
Tenzin Damdhul slogged for 8-10 hours every day under the guidance of his respective teachers to achieve success. He dedicates his achievement to his teachers and parents, as well as His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Kasur Jetsun Pema, As a matter of fact, Sikyong Dr. Lobsang Sangay, during one of his visits to Suja, had also advocated a similar 10-hour study routine for success. Click here
Speaking to the media, Tenzin Damdhul said, “I always think that we are not ordinary students, for we are the Tibetan students, students of a lost nation. We live in a century where our countrymen are languishing under Chinese brutality and intensive political measures.”
“Time has come for us to materialise our dreams and do something for our country. I believe that hard work always gets paid off,” he said.
This year’s performance in the class 12-board examinations indicated impressive results, continuing the trend of improvement in the last five years. 443 Tibetan students scored above 75% as against 321 in 2014, showing an increase of 38%, and if compared to 2010 of 127 students with 75%, it was an increase of 250% in five years.
1431 Tibetan students have appeared in the class 12 CBSE exams, 1306 have passed, 25 students failed and 100 students were placed under compartment category (failed in one subject). The overall pass percentage of Tibetan schools is 91.26 which is a marked improvement from last year’s 86.7%.
2015 Gaden Phodrang Merit Awardees:
Science Stream
RANK | NAME | PERCENTAGE | SCHOOL |
1 | Michiko Yamasaki | 93% | TCV Selakui |
2 | Tenzin Kunsang | 92.6% | TCV Selakui |
3 | Tenzin Dolma | 91.8% | TCV Bylakuppe |
Commerce Stream
RANK | NAME | PERCENTAGE | SCHOOL |
1 | Tenzin Senge | 91.4% | CST Mundgod |
2 | Tenzing Dechen | 91.2% | TCV Upper |
3 | Karma Tseten | 90.4% | CST Mussoorie |
Arts Stream
RANK | NAME | PERCENTAGE | SCHOOL |
1 | Shawo Choeten | 93.2% | TCV Suja |
2 | Rinchen Youdon | 92% | TCV Suja |
3 | Gongyal | 91.2% | TCV Suja |