By Phurbu Thinley
Dharamsala, October 21: Tibetan leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama will attend the inaugural ceremony of the Tibetan Children’s Village’s founding anniversary function on coming Saturday, the educational community’s office said today.
The opening function of the 48th founding anniversary celebration of Tibetan Children’s Village will be marked by the arrival of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to the school campus in the morning on October 25, Village director Phuntsok Namgyal told Phayul over the phone.
The anniversary celebration, which is normally held on October 23, has been delayed by two days this year to tune with Dalai Lama’s changing schedule, Namgyal said.
This would be His Holiness’ first public appearance in Dharamsala, which serves as the base for the Tibet’s Government-in-exile, after returning yesterday from Delhi, where he underwent a surgery to remove gall stones.
TCV’s founding anniversary day is a huge celebration event. The day-long celebration includes children showcasing colourful cultural programs, fascinating callisthenic display formations and an impressive performance by the school band. There will also be traditional Tibetan song and dance performances by individual and group artists.
The actual event usually lasts for three days, with annual inter-house games and sports competition on the second day, and enjoys large public spectators.
Senior leaders and officials from the Tibetan Government-in-exile and representatives from the Indian Government offices will also make their presence during the celebratory event.
Headquartered here in the Northern Indian town of Dharamsala, TCV is the largest residential school of the exiled Tibetan community and also one of the largest of its kind in India.
TCV was founded in 1960 as a nursery school with over 51 Tibetan refugee children. The foundation has now become a thriving, integrated educational community for destitute Tibetan children in exile, as well as for hundreds of those escaping from Tibet in each passing year.
It has established branches in India extending from Ladakh in the North to Bylakuppe in the South. The educational foundation claims it has over 15,000 children under its care each year and has given education to over 50,000 students till date.
Every year the school invites its alumni for the anniversary. This year, it has invited its 1983 (Class-X) batch to join the celebration.
