By Phuntsok Yangchen
DHARAMSHALA, August 13: The College for Higher Tibetan Studies at Sarah, near the Tibetan exile headquarters of Dharamshala, today commemorated its 14th anniversary.
Kalon Tripa Dr Lobsang Sangay was the chief guest at the function attended by the entire students and staff of the College.
Geshe Jamphel Dhakpa, Principal of the College, in his inaugural address, spoke on the initial years of the institution and paid tribute to the efforts put in by the founder Ven. Lobsang Gyatso.
Established as a branch of the Dharamshala based Institute of Buddhist Dialectics, under the guidance of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the College currently provides a range of courses, including Bachelor of Tibetan Studies (Thorim Rigney Rabjampa), Buddhist Philosophy Course, and an exchange programme with the Emory University.
The first batch of the Bachelors in Tibetan studies programme was introduced in 1997 and in keeping with the needs of the Tibetan community, primary and secondary teachers training courses were also given.
As a result, at present, 20 per cent of the teachers in various Tibetan schools in India are alumni of the Sarah College.
CHTS currently has 328 students, Tibetan and foreigners, taking advantage of its specially designed programmes such as the Tibetan Language Course for international students, the Tsamjor course, and the Spring and Fall Semester programmes.
Kalon Tripa Dr Lobsang Sangay in his address to the gathering, which also included the first batch of the Central Tibetan Administration’s pre-recruitment staff trainees, spoke on many current issues facing the Tibetan struggle.
He spoke about the three guiding principles of the 14th Kashag – unity, innovation and self-reliance and also expressed his grievances over the series of self-immolations and the prevalent critical situation inside Tibet.
Students who topped their studies were felicitated at the function.
Symbolic of its success, the Sarah College is planning to tie-up with another educational institution in the US, the Earlham College for an annual exchange programme of 12 to 20 students starting next year.
“They (Earlham College) are very curious about the way that we keep our culture and tradition alive while being in exile, and the way that we keep non-violence and peace close to our hearts and mind despite the hardships,” Principal Dhakpa had earlier said.
CHTS is most likely to sign the memorandum next year during His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s visit to the Earlham College.
