Paonta Sahib:  As part of his ongoing official visits to Tibetan settlements in Uttarakhand and Himachal’s Sirmaur districts, Sikyong Penpa Tsering visited Sakya Tibetan Society Settlement in Puruwala on 25 September 2024 to a rousing reception from the Settlement Officer Tenzin Namgyal, President of the Local Tibetan Assembly Tsering Tenpa, and representatives from local Tibetan civil societies.

After concluding the inspection of the settlement’s facilities, Sikyong convened the Tibetan residents at the community hall to share updates on the 16th Kashag’s political and administrative efforts. His keynote address encompassed the dire situation inside Tibet, the Communist Party of China’s attempts to erase Tibetan identity, the geo-political and strategic significance of the Tibetan plateau, Tibet advocacy initiatives in exile, the 16th Kashag’s Vision Paper, and the Kashag’s steadfast commitment to adhering to the policy of Middle Way Approach. Sikyong also talked about the recent successful medical treatment of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s knee and His Holiness’ constant assurance of living up to more than a hundred years while emphasising that a guru’s longevity is determined by his/her follower’s genuineness in fulfilling the former’s guidance. On a similar note, Sikyong spoke about the dedicated contributions made by older generations in building this robust yet unparalleled exile Tibetan community.

Sikyong then paid visits to Puruwala-based Sakya Magon Shedra Thubten Namgyal Ling, Sakya Dolma Phodrang, local Sambhota Tibetan School, Tibetan primary health care centre, and the Tibetan Settlement Office.

Thereafter, Sikyong and his entourage drove towards the Paonta Cholsum Tibetan Settlement and visited Shalu Monastery, Sambhota Tibetan School, Tibetan Settlement Office, office of the Local Tibetan Assembly, and other offices of the local Tibetan civil societies there.

Like in Puruwala, Sikyong addressed the Tibetan residents of Paonta on a key issue that he discussed earlier that morning. In his talk, Sikyong highlighted the ongoing closure of Tibetan religious and cultural centres like monasteries and private schools to expedite the Xi Jinping-led Communist Party of China’s systematic efforts to sinicise the Tibetan entities. Sikyong further shared concerns over the PRC’s adoption of “Xizang” as its official nomenclature in place of the globally known term “Tibet” in an attempt to distort Tibet’s history.

Regarding the administration of exile Tibetan community and Central Tibetan Administration, Sikyong informed the gathering on the 16th Kashag’s digitisation of document archiving and Tibetan digital library initiatives, among other things.

Throughout these two visits, Sikyong was accompanied by Additional Secretary Tashi Dickey, Department of Home (CTA); Thupten Rinzin, a Senior Program Manager at Social and Resource Development (SARD); and Pema Youdon, Department of Health (CTA).