By Tenzin Monlam
DHARAMSHALA, July 22: The winner of Miss Tibet 2006, Tsering Chungtak, passed away yesterday evening in Majnu ka Tilla, a major transit point of Tibetans, New Delhi due to cardiac arrest.
The 31-year old former Miss Tibet was currently pursuing her PhD in Sociology from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) but had to leave her studies in between owing to her poor health.
According to a source, she had cardiac problem since childhood and was unwell for sometime.
“I am truly sorry for the loss of a talented and an intelligent young Tibetan woman. She will be missed and never be forgotten. I am sending my condolences to the bereaved family and friends, and prayers to overcome the pain,” Lobsang Wangyal, Director of Miss Tibet said in his statement.
“I am still in shock after hearing the news and it is yet to sink in. At first I did not want to believe since I have known her from school. My prayer goes to her and her family,” said Tsering Youdon, an old schoolmate of the deceased.
Born in Shillong, she attended Lower TCV till 10th standard and then to Upper TCV for higher secondary. The beauty queen was one of the 90 contestants competing in Miss Earth Pageant 2006. However, she had to withdraw from the pageant after China’s pressured the organizers to allot her a sash with ‘Miss Tibet-China’.
Messages of solidarity and condolences are being posted on social networking platforms by fellow Tibetans from across the world.
