By Tenzin Tsering
Dharamsala, October 30: Started as an orphanage and nursery called Bhuso Khang with just 51 Tibetan children of road workers in northern India, the Tibetan Children’s Village, popularly known as TCV school, today reached a half century of care and upbringing of Tibetan children through education.
The nursery was initially founded by the elder sister of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Tsering Dolma, who passed away in 1964. However, her younger sister Jetsun Pema who then was a student herself in Darjeeling, took over the responsibility of carrying forward the legacy of her sister.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama, who returned from his North American tour just yesterday, graced the festivities as the Chief Guest, and congratulated the school on it’s 50th birthday which actually fell on October 23rd but was postponed for His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s presence.
“It is a great achievement and service to the community in exile. I congratulate TCV for this milestone they have reached,” said the His Holiness Dalai Lama.
The Tibetan leader however said that the school authorities and administration should not shirk away from accountability and responsibility. “You must take the best possible care of things before anything wrong happens, and you should be accountable of what you do,” the Tibetan leader said referring to the recent case of food poisoning in one of its branch schools here.
His Holiness would usually stay at the school at least until noon but left early today saying he feels a “bit tired” having arrived just yesterday. Before his departure, the Tibetan leader was offered a plaque by the two school captains expressing the children’s gratitude.
One of the first Tibetan schools started immediately after the Tibetans were displaced as refugees has now grown into one of the largest residential schools in India. The school 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.
Also present were by Ven. Tsering Phuntsok, Kalon (Minister) for Religion and Culture and the acting Prime Minister, Dolma Gyari, Deputy Speaker of the parliament in exile, and other dignitaries including several sponsors of the school.
The daylong event was decorated with school children performing calisthenics, cultural dances and songs, exhibition on ‘TCV Fifty Years of Service’ and Inter school Riglam (Dialectic) competition.
Later in the evening, school children undertook a candle light vigil marching till the Tsuglagkhang temple to show their solidarity with the Tibetan students’ protests in Amdo (ch: Qinghai province) against the imposition of Chinese language as the medium of instruction in Tibetan schools.
Hundreds of former students of the school have travelled here from various parts of the world and will participate on Monday in a special event especially dedicated to the alumni.
