Dharamshala/Dalhousie, April 20 – As Britain’s Queen Elizabeth is all set to celebrate her 80th birthday on Friday, scores of birthday wishes are reaching out for her from picturesque hill towns of Himachal Pradesh.
Dozens of Tibetan students at Dharamshala, now synonymous as the adopted residence of Tibetan exiled leader the Dalai Lama, are keen to express their heartfelt wishes to probably the most popular member of Britain’s royal family.
The fact that many of these students are cherishing experiences in art and education, courtesy the Queen, makes them feel closer to her.
Tashi Dhondup, a senior secondary student at the Tibetan Children’s Village School at Dharamshala, nurtures a desire to meet Queen Elizabeth when he visits London later this year. Dhondup is among the lucky few who have been selected by a non-governmental organization (NGO) for further studies in the United Kingdom.
“I have heard that she’s very loving, and has a very loving nature towards children, especially for students. This year, she’s turning 80. Firstly, I want congratulate her and give my best wishes for her good health and I hope she lives to 90-100 years. That is great as Tibetan students like me, got a scholarship to study in the UK all because of her blessings and her help,” Dhondup said.
Like others his age, Dhondup dreams of making it big but also hopes to help others once he has achieved something. He hopes Europe’s longest-serving Monarch would do the same.
“For me its very happy to see great people like her becoming 80 and you still have some potential to help other people in this world through financial assistance. There are many students in Africa who are deprived of education facilities. So, I hope she can help those students,” he said.
Nearly 150 kilometres away, in another famous hill resort Dalhousie, Chieme Dolma also comes ahead to share her sentiments.
“First of all I just want to wish her Happy Birthday and may God fulfill her desire. Second, I want to convey many thanks on behalf of the Tibetan Government and from my side also,” Dolma said.
The Queen’s birthday falls on Friday and she will mark the occasion with a walkabout outside Windsor Castle. Prince Charles will host a private family dinner on the occasion.
While keeping up a busy programme of official visits across Britain, the queen is also firmly committed to the Commonwealth of former British colonies, and has travelled more widely than any previous monarch to promote friendly ties with them.
