1. Tibetan Settlement Office Dehradun was established in the year 1978. The office is located inside Dekyiling Tibetan Settlement, Village – Kirsali, Sahastradhara Road, P.O. Kulhan, Dehradun,

Uttarakhand State.  It has a staff posted from C.T.A. Dharamsala (H.P.) as under:-

 

• Dehradun TSO in the rank of Joint Secretary (CTA)
• Khathor Secretary
• Dekyiling Secretary
• Office Accountant
• Peon (CTRC Rangkhugn staff)
• Driver ( CTRC Rangkhong staff )

 

The Office is 12 kms away from the main city of Dehradun.  It’s located at the height of 450 mtrs above sea level. The average temperature of the area is 35.23⁰ Celsius during summer and 21.6⁰ Celsius during winter with an average annual rainfall of 207.32 cms. 

2.Tibetan Refugee Livelihood: The sources of livelihood of the Tibetan Refugees are petty business during summer and sweater/garment business during winter seasons.  They also run small shops and restaurants in their respective settlements.

(a)Schools: The following Schools are located in Dehradun areas:

1.  Tibetan Homes Foundation, Mussoorie.
2. Sambhota Tibetan School, Mussoorie.
3. Tibetan Homes Foundation (Branch School), Rajpur.
4. Tibetan Homes Foundation (Branch -Day Scholar), Dekyiling.
5. Tibetan Homes Foundation (Branch -Preprimary), Dekyiling.
6. Tibetan Homes Foundation (Branch – Preprimary) Tsering Dhonden.
7. Tibetan Nehru Memorial Foundation School, Dhondupling, Clement Town.
8. Ling Ghesar Primary School, Maduwala.
9. Tibetan Homes Foundation (Branch School, GohriMafi)

(b)Health Clinics in Dehradun areas: –

1. Tibetan Primary Health Care Centre, Dekyiling.
2. Health Clinic, Dhondupling, Clement Town.
3. Health Clinic, Rabtenling, Dharawali.
4. Health Clinic, Lingtsang, Manduwala.
5. Tibetan Medical and Astro Institute, Dekyiling.
6. Tibetan Medical and Astro Institute, TWC, Rajpur.
7. Tibetan Medical and Astro Institute, Dhondupling, Clement Town.

(c)       Monasteries located in Dehradun, Uttarakhand and UP:-

1. Mindroling Monastery, Dhondupling, Clement Town.
2. Tashi Kyil Monastery,Dhondupling, Clement Town.
3. Pal Dechen Chokhorling Monastery, Dhondupling, Clement Town.
4. Dzogchen Shri Singhe Thekchen Dongag Choeling Monastery, Manduwala.
5. Palpung Kunkhyab Choeling Monastery, Lingtsang, Manduwala.
6. Ngor Ewam Choden Monastery, Manduwala.
7. Sakya College for Nuns, Manduwala.
8. Za MongyalYundrungling Monastery, Manduwala.
9. Rinchen Choeling Nunnery, Dekyiling
10. LhodrakThikchi Monastery, Dekyiling.
11. Gaden Dhonyiling Monastery, Dekyiling
12. Sachen School, Dekyiling.
13. Drikung Kagyu Jangchubling Monastery, Kulhan.
14. Drikung Kagyu College, Sahastradhara Road
15. Drikung Kagyu Nunnery, Kulhan.
16. Sakya Centre, Rajpur Road.
17. Sakya College, Mussoorie Road.
18. Sakya Academy, Purkul Road, Bhagwantpur, Dehradun.
19. Samten Tse Nunnery, Mussoorie Road.
20. Sakya Phuntsokling, Dunda, Uttarkashi.
21. Depung Gomang Gaden Kunkyobling, Nainital.
22. Vajravira University, Varanasi

 

 

Administrative setup:           The Settlement Officer who is appointed by the Central Tibetan administration, Dharamsala (H.P) is the overall in-charge of all the Settlements in Dehradun areas in Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh state in all spheres ranging from maintaining law and order to development and poverty alleviation work.  He acts as a link between CTA, State and Central Government and any other NGO concerned.  Under Settlement Officer, there are Elected Group Leaders headed by Camp Leaders, local Representative/Secretary in every settlement and scattered communities.  All activities are implemented through these camp leaders & local representatives under the instructions & guidance of Settlement Officer.  Settlement Officer takes all major decisions in consultation with the Camp Leaders and is the most important link between the settlement office and the community.

Following are the other CTA branch offices & NGOs located in various Tibetan Settlement:

• Circuit Justice Commission located at Dekyiling
• Northern Local Justice Commission located at Dekyiling.
• Office of Audit General (Branch), located at Dekyiling.
• Tibetan Primary Health Care Centre, located at Dekyiling.
• Men Tse-Khang Branch located each at Dekyiling, Raipur & Clement Town.
• Ngoega School, located behind D.K Institute at Kulhan.
• Dekyiling Local Tibetan Assembly (LTA).
• Regional Tibetan Freedom Movement, branch office in all settlement & scattered areas.
• Regional Tibetan Youth Congress (T.Y.C), established at the settlements.
• Regional Tibetan Women’s Association (T.W.A), established in all the settlements.

There are five major Tibetan Settlements and four scattered Tibetan Communities in Uttarakhand State including a small group of Tibetan Community at Saharanpur and Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh State under the jurisdiction of Dehradun Tibetan Settlement Office.  These Settlements are as under:-

(a)       Five Major Settlements:-

• Dekyiling Tibetan Settlement, Sahastradhara Road
• TNMF Dhondupling Settlement,Clement Town  & Rapten-Ling Dharawali.
• Kham Lingtsang Settlement, Manduwala
• Tsering Dhondhen Settement, Nalapani, Raipur
• Gepheling Settlement, Village Tarla Nagar, Sahastradhara Road.

(b)      Four Scattered Tibetan Communities:-

• Tibetan Women Centre Handicraft & scattered Communities at Rajpur
• Mussoorie
• Nainital
• Saharanpur and Varanasi (U.P.)

 

Brief Introduction to various Tibetan Settlement:-

 

• Dekyiling Tibetan Settlement, Sahastradhara Road: This settlement is located at village Kirsali, Sahastradhara Road in Dehradun.  The colony is 12 Km away from the main city Dehradun.  The colony was established in the year 1981 mainly to accommodate and rehabilitate Tibetan Refugees who were scattered around Dehradun areas in rented houses of local Indians and also to rehabilitate the 2^nd batch of Tibetan Refugees from Bhutan.  It has a total land of 30.66 Acres initially purchased by CTRC, Department of Home (CTA) for the main purpose of allocating reasonable housing to the Tibetan Refugees of 720 settlers initially.  The Settlement has a Local Tibetan Assembly, Tibetan Freedom Movement (TFM), RTYC, RTWA, the Handicraft Centre.  The Settlement has 2 Chimis (Community Leaders) and 6 Gyakpons (Group Leaders) who carry out their routine work/activities of the Colony under the instructions/guidance of TSO Dehradun.  Over a period of time, the Colony is crowded with many house constructions/ renovated/repairs.  Presently it has a population of 1648.

 

• Tibetan Nehru Memorial Foundation (TNMF) Dhondupling Tibetan Colony, Clement Town: This Colony is a Registered Colony which is located near the Army Cantonment area in Clement Town Dehradun (UK).  Late AcharyaVinobha Bhave, who was an advocate of Non-Violence & Human Right has generously donated about 100 Acres of land to Late Mr. Gungthang Tsultrim who was the Founder & Chairman of Amdo dance and Drama Troupe mainly to rehabilitate Tibetan Refugees under the scheme of Bhoomidan Movement (Land Gift Movement) in the year 1964.  The initial population settled in the Colony was 609 and now it has increased to 1023 Tibetan Refugees.There are three main monasteries located inside the Colony:

(i)        Nyingma Mindroling Monastery.

• Geluk Tashikyil Monastery.
• Drukpa Kagyu Pal Dechen Chokhorling Monastery.

 

Presently,the Chairman of the Colony is H.E. Khochen Rinpoche of Mindroling Monastery, who is assisted by General Secretary and his staff for routine functioning of the Colony.  It has Regional Tibetan Women Association (RTWA) & Local Tibetan Assembly (Type B) with 25 members.  It also has TNMF School & Chushi Gangdruk Old People Home.  It also has a branch of Men-Tsee-Khang. There is a good football ground in the colony.

 

Kham Lingtsang Tibetan Colony,Manduwala:     This Colony was established in the year 1974 and its located at Manduwala which is 16 kms from Dehradun city.  It is a Registered Society which represents a small group of Tibetan Refugees settlers from Kham Lingtsang community of Lingtsang Kingdom of Kham region in Eastern Tibet.  It has a total land of 25 Acres purchased by Lingtsang King with the assistance of the State Government and CTA Dharamsala (H.P).  The main source of livelihood of the Colony is based on small scale handmade metal craft manufacturing Tibetan Buddhist religious items such as Drilbu /Tingshak/ Phurpa etc.  The colony has a few monasteries like Ngor Evam Choden Monastery, Sakya College for Nuns, Dzogchen Shri Singhe Thekchen Dongag Choeling, Palpung Kunkhyab Choeling and Dza MongyalYundrungling (Bon).  It also has a School named Ling Ghesar Primary School.  It has population of 160 members.

Tsering Dhonden Tibetan Settlement, Nalapani (Rajpur):         This settlement is located at Mangluwala, Nalapani via Raipur which is 10kms away from Dehradun city.  This Rehabilitation Housing Scheme was initiated by late Mr. Stephen Sangye Hishey, a Chairman of Shidey Khangsar NGO located at Rajpur, Mussoorie Road through the International Foundation, USA.  It’s aimed to rehabilitate 160 scattered Tibetan Refugee families around the area from Rajpur. The main sponsor to donate fund for this Rehabilitation Housing Scheme are Mr. Douglas Coe & Senator Claiborne Pell.  It has 40 units of tin roofed building which accommodate 160 families in total area of 41.23 Bhigas.  The settlement was inaugurated & consecrated by H.H. the Dalai Lama on 29^th March 2005.  Since then, the entire land & housing administration was managed by the Shidhey Khangsar family members Late Mr. Stephen Sangye Hishey and his wife Mrs. Sungzin A. Hishey as well as their eldest son Mr. Isaac Hishey for nearly 11 years although, other benefits of CTA have been provided to the residents.  However, the Settlement’s immovable properties like 40 housing units and land measuring 41.23 Bhigaswere finally handed/taken over by TSO Dehradun in a“Registered Will” from Mrs. Sungzin A. Hisheyand her son Mr. Isaac Hisheyin the name of CTRC, Department of Home (CTA) on 1^stFebruary 2017.  Since then, the entire administration is directly looked after by TSO Dehradun who is a representative of CTA, Dharamsala. The present population is 421.

 

 

Gepheling Tibetan Settlement, Village Tarla Nagal, Sahastradhara Road:            Dept.of Home (CTA) has initially purchased land measuring 9.88 Acres in village Tarla Nagal in the name of H.H. the Dalai Lama, CTRC in the year 1980s, which later on got converted into land lease for 30 years. The main aim of land purchase was to rehabilitate Tibetan Refugees around Dehradun areas that have not got housing benefits for many years due to lack of financial assistance & funds. The ground construction work of Gepheling Tibetan Settlement was started on 1 Nov 2018 and completed on 31 Oct 2019. The Settlement is located opposite to Dekyiling Tibetan Colony.  This settlement is newly established and inaugurated by the former Honorable Sikyong Dr. Lobsang Sangay in presence of former Home Kalon SonamTopgyal Khorlhatsang of CTA Dharamsala (H.P) on 18^th December 2019.  The settlement has 112 apartments and has rehabilitated those dispersed 112 Tibetan Refugee families from Rajpur, Nainital, Mussoorie, Haridwar, Delhi, Herbertpur & Saharanpur since 1980s including 25 families of New Arrival Tibetan (NAT).  It’s a four storey apartment building constructed on total land measuring 2.05 Acres approximately out of 9.88 Acres of land in village TarlaNagal. Presently it has a population of 253.

 

 

Tibetan Women Centre Handicraft & Scattered Tibetan Community Rajpur:  TWC is located at Rajpur road which is 12.5 Km away from Dehradun.  TWC Handicraft is a Registered Society which was established in the year 1965.  A manager who is posted from CTA Dharamsala is looking after the administration of TWC handicraft with few Rangkhong staff. It has a total area of land measuring 1969 square meters.  There are 337 members in T.W.C community.  The core mission of the Handicraft Centre is for the rehabilitation and socio economic empowerment of Tibetan Refugees especially Tibetan women.  There are 66 employees in the Handicraft Centers where they do hand woven Tibetan Carpet and Apron.  Besides this, there is a scattered Tibetan community at Rajpur area where a total 172 Tibetans are living on rented house. As a source of livelihood, majority of the people are being relied on winter sweater selling business but few people run small Tibetan restaurant and tea stall in Rajpur itself. There is an Old People Home with a total 47 elderly people under the administration of Tibetan Home’s Foundation, Rajpur branch.  Tibetan Home’s Foundation School Branch from Kindergarten to class 10^th is also located at Rajpur.Sakya Dolma Phodrang and Sakya Centre as well as Sakya College is also situated at Rajpur.

• Mussoorie: Mussoorie is 35 km away from Dehradun. It’s a beautiful hill station which is famously known as “Queen of Hills”. There are approximately 40 Tibetans living on rented house. Their main livelihood is petty business like selling sweater/garment. Besides this Tibetan Homes Foundation main office and its School as well as Sambhota Tibetan School are located at Happy Valley, Mussoorie which is adjacent to Lal Bahadur Shastri Academy. Presently there are 760 students (691 Tibetan & 69 Non Tibetan) in Tibetan Home’s Foundation, Mussoorie and 478 students (47 Tibetan & 431 Non Tibetan) in Sambhota Tibetan School, Mussoorie excluding teaching and non-teaching staffs.  An Old People’s Home with total 20 elderly people is also being looked after under the direct administration of Tibetan Homes Foundation Head Office, Mussoorie.

Nainital:         Nainital is a very beautiful “Hill Station” in Uttarakhand State which is 9 hours journey from Dehradun.  It is one of the important tourist destinations.  It has a famous Tibetan market in the heart of Nainital city consisting of 51 shops.  They do sweater/ garment business throughout the year for their livelihood.  The present Tibetan population is 131.

Saharanpur & Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh): Saharanpur is one of the oldest cities of Uttar Pradesh State which is 69 km away from Dehradun.  This place is very famous for wood carving in Northern India.  Earlier there were around 40 Tibetan people who lived on rented house and run small Tibetan restaurants.  But over a period of time,many have shifted to Dehradun area due to hot climatic condition there.  Presently, there are only four families and present population is 12.  They do sweater business during winter seasons only for their livelihood.

Presently, there are 179 people in Varanasi, majority of whom are students and staff of Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies in Sarnath, Varanasi, (U.P.)