Penpa Tsering, the President of the Tibetan Government-in-Exile, recently expressed deep appreciation for India’s support of Tibetan culture. He emphasized the strong cultural ties between Tibetans and Indians, stating that Tibetans view themselves as an extension of Indian culture, language, and religion.
Tsering highlighted that the Tibetan language and religion are deeply rooted in Indian scripts. He mentioned that Tibetans have translated numerous Sanskrit and Pali texts into Tibetan, effectively preserving a significant part of ancient Indian wisdom. “We consider ourselves as an extension of Indian culture because we translated every available Sanskrit and Pali text into Tibetan and we are the only country to do that. So, we are the repository of one part of ancient Indian wisdom,” Tsering said.
He also expressed gratitude towards India for providing refuge to the Dalai Lama and 72,000 Tibetan people when China annexed Tibet in 1951. “We are very grateful to the Indian government at the most difficult period of our history, to give refuge here in India to His Holiness and now there are 72,000 Indian Tibetans in India,” Tsering added.
#WATCH | Delhi: Tibetan President in Exile Penpa Tsering says, "A lot of analysis has been done during the congressional visit to Dharamsala, where a lot of credit is given to the Indian government for allowing them to visit India, Dharamsala, on their way back, met with PM Modi… pic.twitter.com/d0dRjPaIZP
— ANI (@ANI) July 18, 2024
Tsering discussed the recent visit of a United States Congressional delegation to India, which included former US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The delegation met with the Dalai Lama at his residence in Dharamshala on June 20. They also had meetings with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.
He stated that India’s permission for the congressional visit to Dharamshala and the subsequent meetings with Indian leaders demonstrate strong validation and support for the Tibetan cause. “I think a lot of analysis has been done during the congressional visit to Dharamsala where a lot of credit is given to the Indian government for allowing them to visit India, visit Dharamsala, make those statements and on their way back meet with Prime Minister Modi ji and also the foreign minister,” said Tsering. He added that in Taiwan, this visit is also seen as a sign of support from the Indian government.
Tsering also praised US President Joe Biden’s recent signing of the ‘Resolve Tibet Bill.’ The bill states that China’s ongoing occupation of Tibet must be resolved peacefully and in accordance with international law, rather than through repression. Tsering noted that the bill has significantly unsettled the Chinese government, indicating its effectiveness in challenging Beijing’s narrative on Tibet.
Expressing confidence in the impact of the newly signed bill, Tsering remarked, “The strong Chinese reaction underscores the bill’s effectiveness in challenging Beijing’s narrative on Tibet.”
Comments