Dharamsala, Feb 3: A three-member Tibetan parliamentary delegation headed by deputy speaker Dolma Gyari paid a week-long a visit to the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand’s capital Dehradun and met its chief minister and other senior leaders last week, a post on the official website of Tibet’s government in exiles said.
Khortsa Sonam Damdul and Geshe Gazi Tse-Ringpo, both members of the Tibetan Parliament-in-exile were in the delegation.
“The delegation was warmly received by Chief Minister Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal, who is also renowned poet and author,” the delegation said in a press statement released upon returning to Dharamsala on Monday.
According to the release, the state chief minister presented several of his books for the library of the Tibetan parliament.
The statement further said that the state chief minister “agreed to look into the request of the delegation” for special seats for Tibetan students to pursue studies in the field of medicine and engineering in the state.
The delegation also called on Dr Harak Singh Rawat, the leader of the Opposition from the Indian National Congress Party and had a separate meeting with former cabinet minister, Mr Hera Singh Bhist (MLA), who is also a vice-president of the Congress Working Committee.
The Speaker of the Vidhan Sabha of the State, Mr Harbans Kapoor, met with the delegation at his official residence.
The delegation also met with a group of long time friends of Tibet.
Mr Gyaltsen, the local Tibetan welfare officer assisted in co-ordination of the programme and accompanied the delegation in all of the meetings.
“The dignitaries expressed high esteem to His Holiness the Dalai Lama and solidarity with the just cause of the people of Tibet. Mr Prem Barakoti of the Himalaya Parivar was most gracious and supportive,” the delegation said.
The state of Uattrakhand is host to some of the principal monasteries of the Buddhist traditions, Tibetan educational institutions and has the largest number of Tibetan settlements after the state of Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh, the post said.
