By Tenzin Dharpo and Tenzin Monlam
DHARAMSHALA, April 21: Bangalore based Tibetan IT start-up ‘Dachompa’ has high ambitions. Notwithstanding the stereotypical expectations or the lack of it, from Tibetan exiles in this particular field and many other tangible barriers, the company set up just last year has an impressive portfolio of projects under their belt with the latest being the android based mobile app for the premier Tibetan exile football tournament GCM Gold Cup.
The app has over 2000 downloads in just 2 weeks since its release earlier this month and has had over 800 live stream viewers during a match.
One of the co-founders, Tamding Kyab, who is the UI/UX designer in the team, told Phayul that their latest app has been received positively by the Tibetan users. “It certainly gives us more impetus, yet the larger aim to bind the Tibetan community into the digital world is a tall task ahead. Tibetans are progressive when it comes to embracing any new kind of tech or digitized tech for that matter. Hence, our aim is to seamlessly bind that scope into all things Tibetan,” he optimistically adds.
The company is co-founded by three other diverse yet hand-picked Tibetan IT professionals; Mobile App developer Tenzin Samten, Backend developer Tenzin Kalsang and Web developer Tenzin Dakpa. The team has respectable experience in mainstream IT world working for multinational companies.
Their first project, again an android based mobile app for the Kalachakra 2017 was a pioneering digital product in the Tibetan diaspora. Their next one, developing a mobile App (Android and iOS) for the Central Tibetan Administration which will be launched in a few months time is poised to make the Tibetan community a closer knit one digitally.
The venture set in a virtual world has at its heart a very Tibetan soul. The company’s name, the Tibetan word that means ‘subduing the enemy’ is yet a lesser an aphorism compared to the company’s policy to employ only Tibetans. Kyab elaborates, “The thought is to generate talent as well as employment among Tibetans, and we certainly do not lack the aptitude in the field. It’s a matter of Tibetan youths committing to the field that has not only global appeal but also a huge vacuum within the community.”
The company operating from a ground floor office in a Bangalore suburb and employee strength countable on one hand perhaps does not lack integrity, if at all anything.
Financially, the company spends what it earns and some employees take second jobs when not nursing the company’s first few crucial steps. Dachompa has applied for a grant through the exile Tibetan government’s Tibetan Entrepreneur Development project to supplement funds.
The modest company with some good work ultimately aims at “uplifting and rediscovering the (Tibetan) community in the field of information technology” whilst competing and staying abreast with the rest of the world in the digital foray.
