Dharamshala — TPI reporter Shawo Namgyal sat down with Tibetan students studying in Indian colleges. They answered questions about their individual professional fields, future plans, why Tibetan society lacks specialists and Ph.Ds, and finally their messages for Tibetan people through their own experiences.
The following are interviews with Choesang Dolma studying for her BA in Bangalore, Tenzin Tsomo studying Tibetan medicine in Dharamsala, and Dawa Lhamo studying Tibetan language in Sarah College.
Questions follow:
1. TPI : Can you introduce yourself.
I am Choesang Dolma from Amdo Rebkong in Tibet. I came to India in 2004 and joined THF Mussoorie School. I graduated class 12 in 2016. Now I am doing my BA at JNC in Bangalore and my main subject is sociology.
2. TPI: What message do you want to give to our Tibetan people through your professional field?
Through my experience and gained knowledge with this sociology subject, I want to give a message to our society or our Tibetan youth. Sociology is a very wide subject through that we knew condition of different people in the society. Also we knew how to react and deal with those people. Sociology is the scientific study of human social behavior, the study of humans in their collective aspect. It is concerned with all group activities, economic, social, political, and religious etc. We should raise awareness about this kind of important knowledge in order to understand facts and to serve our society well.
3. TPI: Do you have any plans for the cause of Tibet after completing your studies?
Yes I do have such dreams after completing my studies, ever since my childhood in school. Even if I couldn’t sacrifice my body for the country, I’ll surely make best use of my full energy on the causes of Tibet issues.
4. TPI: What is your point of view on the lack of specialists in our Tibetan society?
Tibet is lacking behind in all aspects, economic and academic. When it comes to thoughts of betterment, it is quite hard to reach success in a short time. Tibetan government and administration always emphasis on this and trying to focus on this. I found better ground in the Tibetan students doing further studies and foreign universities.
Tenzin Tsomo:
1.My name is Tenzin Tsomo and I came from Tibet. Currently I'm studying Tibetan medicine in the Tibetan Medical and Astrological College.
2. Being a Tibetan I want to remind all Tibetan followers to preserve our rich culture and educate or help through our traditions for the beneficial of all sentient beings. Now a days Buddhist text help millions of people and likewise the remaining culture has the same power.
3. After completing my studies, I will utilize my full knowledge for the well being of society, definitely work for the country, and never loose my identity.
4. I don’t have much information regarding the major causes of the lacking specialist in Tibetan society. But as my point of view, we don’t have such an environment that emphasizes the status of specialisst and we lack the nurturing of students who have interest. When one student has so much willingness to do the further studies and asks for support from family and society, he rarely gets continuous financial support. Due to such conditions happening for many students, they are fed up of doing the same and not getting changes. I want to let all the students know that in today’s society there are many scopes and supporters, never give up your dreams and keep going.
Dawa Lhamo:
1. My name is Dawa Lhamo and I came from Tibet in 2006 and graduated from Tibetan Homes Mussoorie. Now I am studying at Sarah College for Tibetan Higher Studies.
2. I want to tell all the Tibetan people that whenever we reach, whatever we do, where ever we go we should remember one thing that "I am Tibetan and refugee."
3. I want to tell all the young generation that we are the seed of this great country "Tibet.” We all have our own ambition to achieve but we should not forget that we don’t stay here till death. We have to go back, we have to use our ability not only for our own benefit. Now really it’s time to stand up and do something for our own country. Sometime we have to look back appreciate our elders for protecting our language, religion, and wonderful traditions. So we also have to do like them, as it is passed to our coming generation. I am happy and proud to study in this small society, it makes me feel happy and special when I start to study our own history, grammar, poetry etc. It give me special feelings. So my dear friends when you get free time, go through it and you also will get a special feeling. Last but not least I want to say that "ask not what country do for you, ask what you can do for your country."
4. Yes it’s true that in our society we have a lack of specializing student to come out. I think the reason not we can't do it is due to lack of confidence and sometimes because of financial problem, so we are very easily to give up.