A special closing function was held on 15th December 2011 to mark the closing of the Education Center (TCEC) for the year 2011.

During the function Mr. Sonam Topgyal la, the Chairman of Tibet Charity India (TCI) & Ex – Prime Minister of Central Tibetan Administration was unvited as the Chief Guest. The function was also attended by Venerable Alag Jigme Rinpoche, Vice Chairman of TCI and Ex – Finance Minister, Dr. Tseten Dorjee Sandhutsang, a Society member of TCI & Chief Medical Officer Delek Hospital, our volunteer teachers and the students of Tibet Charity Education Center.

Ms. Rinzin Wangmo, the Coordinator of TCEC started the program by welcoming all those who have attended the program. She thanked the volunteer teachers for sparing their precious moments for the betterment of the Tibetans who come here with the hope of learning English. She expressed her deep appreciation for the enthusiasm and dedication shown by the teachers while teaching.

A student representative spoke on how much the education program of Tibet Charity has benefitted them. He said that the students are now in a position to express their feelings in words in a language that was unknown to them so far – thanks to the initiative of Tibet Charity and the efforts of the teachers. He thanked one and all on behalf of the students.

The teachers took turn to express their feelings of joy for being able to be a part of this wonderful initiative. They all felt that they have learnt much from the students than what they have taught them.

They all thanked Tibet Charity staff for providing them with all necessary assistance in making their stay here comfortable.

They were all unanimous in saying that they will miss Tibet Charity and its students. All expressed their desire to come back at some point in time if opportunity arises.

Mr. Tsering Thundup, the Director thanked the volunteers for their wonderful efforts in imparting valuable education in English language to the students. He congratulated the students for receiving the knowledge and for being highly well disciplined students throughout the duration of their studies. He wished all Happy New Year.

Mr. Sonam Togyal la too thanked the teachers for their contribution and he also thanked the staff of TCI for running this program with great success. He explained how providing modern education to the Tibetans has been top priority of His Holiness the Dalai Lama from the time he came into exile in India in 1959. He urged the students not be satisfied with what they have learnt but instead he encouraged them to study further to be better equipped human being.

Lastly Ms Tseten Dolker thanked all for their presence during the function.

During the function rank holders in the just concluded exam were specially awarded with prizes and certificates. But the highlight of the function was surprised show of singing skills by our volunteers. They stole the show and hearts of all present. With this, besides those mentioned above, I thank all those who are involved in making this program a great success. I thank Tibet Charity Sweden for bearing the cost of running the program and I thank Tibet Charity Denmark for funding all other expenses related to the program.

See: Photo Gallery

As per the wishes of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to help the poor from the Himalayan region of India, Tibet Charity donated 30 beds to a hostel close by.

The students are all from the remote Lahaul and Spiti area Himachal Pradesh. As the region has no proper school, many parents send their children to government and private schools in Dharamsala. Though the students from richer families rent private accommodations, the poorer ones are left with no place to live. So an abbot from a temple in Tabo decided to start a hostel for these children. After the completion of the hostel, students were moved in.

When the Director last visited the hostel, the students were found sleeping on thin mattresses laid on the bare floor. This will make life very difficult for them during harsh winter season.

Tibet Charity then approached Elisabeth Zimmerman of Save Tibet Austria for help and as always she readily agreed to help the hostel by funding the beds.

With the kind support of Save Tibet Austria, we were able to purchase 30 new beds for the hostel. These beds were handed over to the hostel authority on 21st November 2011.

Everyone, especially the children, were so happy to receive these beds. They can now have comfortable sleep at night. We thank Save Tibet Austria for this kind gesture.

Most venerable Lakha Rinpoche, Founder and Chairman of Tibet Charity visited Dharamsala along with Mrs. Pia Lakha la and a group of 23 people from Denmark and Sweden. They stayed in Dharamsala for 6 days.

On 2nd of November, the group paid a visit to the Reception Center where they met some new arrivals from Tibet. The stories that were narrated to them regarding the situation inside Tibet moved many to tears. Next day they first visited the Old People’s Home where they joined the elders in their prayers. Rinpoche then gave a brief speech to the elders highlighting the need to be good human beings.

They then visited Tibet Charity India where they were received with traditional Tibetan Scarves by the Director of Tibet Charity India, Mr. Tsering Thundup la.
They first visited the classes and they were then invited to the hall where a small function was organized in their honour.


The Director first introduced Rinpoche

to the audience and he then read out the activity report of the last two years.


Two students from our Education Center spoke on how much help it has been for them to get the opportunity to learn English here in our Education Center.

Rinpoche expressed his deep appreciation for the good work done by Tibet Charity India that has brought direct benefit to the needy people and the animals in the region. He thanked all the staff including the volunteers for their dedication and hard work.

On 4th November, they visited Tibetan Children’s Village where they were given warm reception by the village Director. After the site visit, the village President narrated the brief history of the village. They were all overwhelmed by the efficiency and the manner in which the children are cared for. Some from the group decided to sponsor some children in need. They were taken to Tibet Charity Animal Clinic. They were all full praise for the manner in which the clinic is maintained and the amount of help it has been able to provide to the sick animals in the region.

On 5th November, they paid a visit to the Central Tibetan Administration complex. They were given detailed description of the functioning of Tibetan Parliament by the spokesman. They were then taken to the library which houses many important literary and handicraft pieces brought from Tibet.

In between, Lakha Rinpoche separately met the Governing Body members of Tibet Charity India. He thanked them for their guidance and for being a part of TCI. He also met the staff of Tibet Charity India and expressed his deep appreciation for their good work. He urged them to continue with their efforts towards the service of the people and animals in need.

We were all overwhelmed by the presence of Most Venerable Lakha Rinpoche and Pia Lakha la amidst us. We thank them for their kind visit and we request them to visit us at least once every year.

See: Photo Gallery

The annual meeting of the Tibet Charity India was held in the hall of Tibet Charity on 18th October 2011.

The Director of Tibet Charity India Mr. Tsering Thundup explained the activities of Tibet Charity during the last financial year. He used power point presentation to clarify the activities conducted by Tibet Charity during the year for the benefit of the poor and needy.

The audit report of the last financial year was presented, discussed and passed. The budget for the next financial year was also discussed and cleared for its necessary approval by the sponsors.

Besides appreciating the good work of Tibet Charity in the service of a Nation in Exile, they unanimously thanked all our sponsors, well – wishers and friends for making it possible for us to do the kind of activities we continue to do for the benefit of others.

The meeting passed the following resolutions as well:

1. Mr. Sonam Topgyal, ex – Kalon Tripa and Ven. Alag Jigme Lhundup, ex – Kalon with CTA were unanimously elected as the Chairman and Vice Chairman respectively of the Tibet Charity Governing Body for the next three years.
2. Mr. Tsering Thundup was elected as its Member – Secretary.
3. It was decided to apply for the registration of the Society under H.P. State Societies Act of 2006 and Mr. Tsering Thundup was authorized to do the needful on behalf of the Society.
4. Once the registration is completed, Mr. Tsering Thundup was instructed to apply for the registration of our Animal Care Section with Animal Welfare Board of India.
5. For the welfare of the new comers from Tibet and for the good of those who could not complete their schools, it was decided to start class III, V and VIII studies under Open Basic Education Program. Mr. Tsering Thundup was instructed to work for its accreditation with National Open Basic Education Program.
6. The next Annual Meeting was decided to be held in October 2012.

On Sunday, October 16, our six volunteer English teachers, accompanied by a staff member, who served as their guide, went to Bir, Chauntra and Norbulinka on a day long trip to see other Tibetan settlements outside Dharamsala. Tibet Charity started this ‘day trip’ to familiarize its volunteer English teachers to other Tibetan settlements outside of Dharamsala. Our teachers of the 2nd Semester of 2011 are: Linley and Jemma from Australia, Edward and Jane from the UK, and Dustin and Haley from the US. We left at seven in the morning from Tibet Charity in Mcleodganj, and on the way, had ‘parantas’, curd, and tea for breakfast at a small ‘dhaba’, and reached Chauntra at approximately 9.30 a.m. Our first stop on our itinerary was the Sambhota School in Chauntra.

Chauntra is a small Indian town, and it has a small Tibetan settlement there. Most of the students at the Sambhota School are from remote and less-previlidged areas of the north-eastern Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. As we walked inside the school campus, we headed towards the school office. A teacher came out of her classroom and offered us to act as our guide, and took us inside several classrooms to observe, while the teachers were teaching. We went into each classroom, and were greeted with the smiling beautiful faces of the students. They were very friendly and brimming with energy. Next, we went to Zongsar monastery.

Zongsar monastery is only a few minutes down the road. There was nobody at the monastery since everyone had gone to TCV School

that is just down the road, where the son of Sakya Rinpoche was giving a teaching. We went to the TCV School next. Our teachers were very impressed with the campus of the school. The roads and the paths inside the school were very clean, and the landscaping was immaculately well maintained. Next, we decided to have an early lunch, and then come back to Zongsar Monastery. We stopped at an Indian ‘dhaba,’ and had a simple vegetarian lunch. After lunch, we drove back to Zongsar monastery.

At Zongsar monastery, we went inside the main temple where there is a huge seated statue of the Buddha. We took pictures inside and outside the temple. After that, we drove back to Dharamsala, and stopped at the Norbulinka Institute. Historically, the Norbulinka was the summer palace of the Dalailama in Tibet, but here the Norbulinka is a tourist attraction and makes and sells Tibetan clothes, furniture and accessories. There is a doll museum there, and the dolls represent Tibetans from the three main regions of Tibet: Central Tibet or U-Tsang, and the two regions of eastern-Tibet, Amdo and Kham. We had tea and snacks at the café there. We toured around the complex. The Institute has beautiful landscaping of trees, shrubs, and flowers. There is a koi pond with a bridge that goes over it. Everything is very well maintained, and it is a great place for tourists to visit. In their shop, their merchandise was quite expensive. We stayed there for an hour. After that, we went to Dauladhar Hotel in lower-Dharamsala, and had tea there. After that, we returned safely back to Mcleodganj, and our volunteers said that they had a great time.