By Tenzin Monlam
DHARAMSHALA, January 20: The Himalayan Pariwar Himachal Pradesh today organized a meet ‘Understand Bharat/Tibet’ for the Students Experience in Inter-State Living (SEIL) delegation tour that reached Dharamshala on Wednesday to familiarize them with the current situation of Tibet and the importance of Tibet with respect to India.
A delegation of 30 students belonging to various Himalayan regions of India from Ladakh to Arunachal Pradesh attended the meet with Tashi Phunstok, Secretary of Department of Information and International Relations (DIIR).
Acharya Yeshi Phuntsok, Member of Parliament, Om Prakash, RSS Pracharak and Dr. Sanjay Sharma, State President ABVP were the key speakers of the event.
“As youth of this vast nation and the youth wing of the ruling government, I think you have to shoulder the responsibility of keeping a correct future perspective of India, Tibet and China while learning from the history,” Tashi Phunstok said.
He drew the 13 centuries old Indo-Tibetan connection through religion, linguistically and environmentally. He also pointed out the border issues, geo political issues and environmental issues hampering the relations in the Himalaya region.
“Issues are serious, responsibilities are numerous and the challenges are very heavy. Therefore, the shoulders of the youth must have broad, educated and visionary to see that the current situation need not be the situation in the Himalayas,” said the secretary of DIIR.
Acharya Yeshi Phuntsok also briefed about the Indo-Tibet relationship in 10 points including the first King of Tibet, Nyatri Tsenpo to language, to culture, to trade and economy, and to medicine.
Om Prakash recalled the mistake committed by India in trusting China post 1962 Sino-Indian war as the event begin with the memorial song ‘Aye mere vatan ke logon’.
“We always thought that Himalaya was an ‘impenetrable wall’ that no one will be able to cross. However, it happened in 1962 and there is a possibility of happening again,” he said referring to the constant border intrusion by China in Arunachal Pradesh and Ladakh,” Om Prakash said.
The delegation started their tour from Guwahati to Dharamshala via Lucknow, Moradabad, Haridwar, Dehradun and Pathankot. The tour concludes on January 23 in the national capital.
Gyamar Kassung from Arunachal Pradesh, who is also the coordinator of the delegation, said that they have a long standing relationship with Tibetans and coming here feels like meeting an extended family.
The visiting member of the delegation later toured CTA premises including the Tibetan Parliament in exile, Tibetan Library and Tibet museum.
