Dharamshala: The Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile delegation, consisting of MPs Geshe Lharampa Atuk Tseten, Tsaneytsang Dhondup Tashi, and Tsering Yangchen, continued their Tibet advocacy campaign across various states of India. On January 23rd, they initiated their advocacy efforts in Hyderabad by conducting a meeting with key figures, including Shri Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, Deputy Chief Minister of Telangana; Shri D. Sridhar Babu, Minister of IT of Telangana; Shri Srinivas Reddy, General Secretary of the BRS party; and MLAs.
During these meetings, the Tibetan MPs passionately advocated for the Tibetan cause, emphasizing the critical situation in Tibet. They also presented souvenirs and relevant documents to underscore their message. The Deputy Chief Minister and the IT Minister of Telangana, expressed their assurance of support for the just cause of Tibet.
The following day, the delegation engaged in a meeting with Shri K. R. Suresh Reddy, a Member of the Rajya Sabha, along with four MLAs. The interaction between the Tibetan parliamentary delegation and the Rajya Sabha MP garnered coverage from the Indian media in attendance. During the meeting, Shri K. R. Suresh Reddy expressed his profound admiration for His Holiness the Dalai Lama and affirmed unwavering support for Tibet and the Tibetan community.
Following that, the delegation convened with Shri Mahesh Goud, the working president of the state Congress, and Smt. Deepa Dasmunsi, AICC Telangana in-charge. During the meeting, Smt. Dasmunsi affirmed her and her party’s steadfast support for Tibetan refugees in India. She also shared insights from her previous visits to Dharamshala and Delhi’s Samyeling Tibetan settlement.
Later, the delegation held discussions with Shri NV Subash, the Telangana spokesperson for the BJP and the grandson of former Indian Prime Minister PV Narsimha Rao.
On January 25th, the MPs delivered a talk at the University of Hyderabad addressing the significance of Tibet to India. MP Tsering Yangchen focused on the Tibetan diaspora and Tibet’s environment, MP Geshe Lharampa Atuk Tseten emphasized the cultural and religious relationship between India and Tibet, and MP Dhondup Tashi delved into the intricate details of historical and geographical ties between India and Tibet. The talk series concluded with an engaging Q&A session and thank you note from Prof Gajendra Kumar Pathak, Hindi department head. The MPs presented Tibetan ceremonial scarves to Prof. Dr M N Rajesh, Prof. Dr Bhim Singh (PI), and Prof. Dr Setu Kumar Verma for arranging the talk series, along with a book on Tibet’s environment for the university library.
On January 26th, the delegation received a visit from the general secretary of the Jai Bharat Association, Shri Vinaya Vihaaram Ramana Murty, along with secretary Smt. Rajnini and Shri Vijay Shankar Swami. Shri Murty, a dedicated supporter of Tibet, has actively advocated for Tibet on numerous platforms. Notably, during the challenging period in Tibet in 2008 and 2009, he extended support by providing accommodation and food for Tibetan activists. Additionally, Shri Murty has authored a book on Tibet in Telugu, further showcasing his commitment to raising awareness about the Tibetan cause.
Following the aforementioned interactions, the delegation met with Shri Amdamchetty Anil Kumar, the general secretary of the P.V. Narasimha Rao Memorial Foundation. During the meeting, it was mentioned that their organization intends to present an award to His Holiness the Dalai Lama. With this, the delegation successfully concluded their advocacy efforts in Hyderabad and proceeded to Goa.
Throughout their engagement in Hyderabad, Prof. Dr. M N Rajesh of Hyderabad University played a pivotal role in arranging meetings with key leaders, facilitating media interactions, and coordinating the talk at the university. Prof. Rajesh has been a steadfast supporter of Tibet for the past 20 years, actively participating in numerous Tibet programs and aiding Tibetan sweater sellers in the city. Additionally, Tenzin Choephel and Tsultrim Tenzin provided valuable assistance during the delegation’s engagements.