Renitha Raveendran
Posted: Dec 14, 2008 at 0251 hrs IST
Pune: A group of 30 Tibetan students in the city has a common ambition, to serve the cause of their motherland. That’s why, when most friends headed for Bangalore and Chennai, they chose Pune. “Pune had a very strong Tibetan student association some years ago. But, as students gradually left, it stopped functioning. The city has a sizeable Tibetan population. Most people here do not know about Tibet. We felt the need to create awareness,” Tenzin Dolkar, vice-president, The Tibetan Students' Association (TSA), Pune and second year BA Economics student, Wadia College, says.
Dolkar had dreams of becoming a dancer. She let her passion die and decided to study a subject that will help people back home. Does she regret it? “Yes, sometimes. I was so passionate about dance and music that it was a tough decision.”
Others like her have chosen their subject with ‘their country’s future’ in mind. “I can’t stand injustice. That’s why I am studying Law. It will help me fight for the rights of Tibetans,” says Tsering Choedon, a BA-LLB student at Azam Campus in the city.
Dharpo Tenzing, a B Com student at Poona College wants to be a journalist. “There is no press freedom in Tibet. Tibetans are cut off from the outside world. A journalist can be a bridge,” he says. They have stories of separation and identity crisis to share. But, nothing deters them from dreaming about going back, not even the recent refusal of Chinese government to allow further talk on more autonomy to Tibet. “We are eagerly looking forward to further negotiations with China. We have faith in the Dalai Lama,” says Lhakpa Dolma, an MSc Maths student at the University of Pune. To commemorate the day (December 10) the Dalai Lama received the Nobel Prize, the TSA is organising an exhibition, ‘A glimpse of Tibet’ on Saturday at Om Krishna Hall, Raj Gulab Height, Shree Krishna Nagar, Senapati Bhapat Road.
Dolkar had dreams of becoming a dancer. She let her passion die and decided to study a subject that will help people back home. Does she regret it? “Yes, sometimes. I was so passionate about dance and music that it was a tough decision.”
Others like her have chosen their subject with ‘their country’s future’ in mind. “I can’t stand injustice. That’s why I am studying Law. It will help me fight for the rights of Tibetans,” says Tsering Choedon, a BA-LLB student at Azam Campus in the city.
Dharpo Tenzing, a B Com student at Poona College wants to be a journalist. “There is no press freedom in Tibet. Tibetans are cut off from the outside world. A journalist can be a bridge,” he says. They have stories of separation and identity crisis to share. But, nothing deters them from dreaming about going back, not even the recent refusal of Chinese government to allow further talk on more autonomy to Tibet. “We are eagerly looking forward to further negotiations with China. We have faith in the Dalai Lama,” says Lhakpa Dolma, an MSc Maths student at the University of Pune. To commemorate the day (December 10) the Dalai Lama received the Nobel Prize, the TSA is organising an exhibition, ‘A glimpse of Tibet’ on Saturday at Om Krishna Hall, Raj Gulab Height, Shree Krishna Nagar, Senapati Bhapat Road.
