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| Dr. Lobsang Sangay, the new prime minister |
Lobsang Sangay (43), a graduate in International Human Rights Law from Harvard University, is the first Indian by birth to become the prime minister of the Tibetan government. After Dalai Lama retired from active politics, Lobsang Sangay was the first to take charge as the political head. Tibetan students expressed their happiness as they now have a youngster as their leader.Tenzin Dolma, an English literature student of Loyola College, said, “I feel happy today that all the Tibetans have got a new political leader. The Dalai Lama handed over his political power to a youngster in order to make all the Tibetan youngsters more responsible. I am expecting a lot from the new Prime Minister and I am confident that he will secure us an autonomous Tibet.”
Rinchen Namgal, an MCom student of University of Madras, said, “It is a historic moment in the life of all the Tibetans because today, we get the first prime minister who is having all the political powers. Though we have had many prime ministers earlier, they were only ceremonial heads, as all the political powers were vested with the Dalai Lama. This time, I am very optimistic and hopeful that the new PM will take all of us to our homeland by succeeding in dialogues with the Chinese authorities.”
Tibetan students gathered at Choolaimedu and distributed sweets to the public to celebrate the moment. Most of them eagerly watched the swearing-in ceremony in TV.
“Around 200 Tibetan students are studying in Chennai. All of us wanted to be present in Dharmashala today, but we could not go as we have classes,” said Tenzin Dalha, a mass communication student of Madras Christian College.
“We are so lucky to have a well-educated and aptly qualified young man as our prime minister. He has to seek the Dalai Lama’s guidance whenever it’s necessary, as his holiness has a lot of experience. The new PM should concentrate more on maintaining good relationship with other countries, especially with China and India,” Tenzin added.
“Lobsang Sangay is facing immense challenges in international politics, as the Chinese government announced that it did not accept him as the PM. But we, Tibetan youths, are wholeheartedly extending our support to him,” said a political science student, Tenzin Phuntsok.
By and large, the expectations of the Tibetan community, who have been in exile for long, from Lobsang Sangay, is quite high. They expect the new PM to work to get better education for Tibetan students around the world, welfare measures in Tibetan settlements in India, and conduct talks with the Chinese government to get Tibet as an autonomous region.
We will watch the movie at gradual pace!!
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