I remember one day when I was about six, my teacher showed us documentary films relevant to the Tibetan situation showing that Tibetans in Tibet don’t have any right to practice religion or the right to freedom of speech and expression nor, in fact, the right to live as humans with basic dignity. It was a pivotal moment; I was shaken from the core and it was the time when I heard my inner hunger and voice of aiming to be a Human rights advocate.
As a kid, I was always good at studies and “always a good student”. Back then, I used to feel good about that, but looking back from now, I feel that I was trapped in a “good student” tag restricting me from venturing out into different activities or experimentations as freely as other kids. Perhaps because I was the eldest sibling, I used to be burdened down with the weight of expectation and responsibilities including looking after my younger siblings. After joining college, I was able to focus on my own interests and future goals.
I completed my primary education in Upper TCV in 2013, after that, I went to TCV Suja for my secondary education. Personally, having the courage to pursue Law as my subject wouldn’t have been possible without the blessing of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, my beloved TCV schools, family, and others who have uplifted and motivated me to achieve a five-year intensive course of Bachelor of Law from JSS Law College in Mysore, Karnataka where I went in 2015, and where I was able to learn theoretical aspects of a wide range of Indian Law and the Indian judicial system.
In our community, there are not many advocates or lawyers to look up to as a role model. Fortunately, when I was in class eight, I was first introduced to a Tibetan advocate who came to school to give a talk; this was the first time I had met anybody like this and I set my mind, “I want to become a lawyer too”. With time, and as I grew up, my fellow Tibetans can see that the reason is obvious, why I should focus on law and human rights, given the situation that Tibetans inside Tibet are fighting for their basic rights while Tibetans in exile are facing the everyday challenges of a refugee life.
While pursuing my bachelors degree, I took on the role of Secretary of Mysore Tibetan Students Association. My idea of participating as a secretary was to provide awareness about Tibet as a country and how Tibet’s cause is indispensable to the understanding by outsiders of the global implications of Tibet’s situation. On March 10, Tibetan Uprising Day, we held an event to mark solidarity between Tibetans in exile and those living in Tibet;information about Tibetan history, culture, and tradition was presented to international students and we interacted with them and exchanged knowledge about Tibet. In 2018, I took on a role in the Mysore Regional Tibetan Legal Association and engaged with them in different activities and programmes.
The following year I became an active member of the All India Student Association Meet and organised a programme where Indian and Tibetan students gathered to participate in different competitions such as English and Tibetan debates, cultural competitions and sports competitions. Organising all these events was tough but the experience was worth it.
Our main goal was always to promote unity among all Tibetan students around the globe. I firmly believe that even when things become hard, it is significant to grab an opportunity and have different kinds of experiences in life. I have the privilege of serving my community in my own capacity; it gives me ultimate satisfaction and hope.
I graduated in 2020 and went on to pursue my Masters in International and Comparative Law from IMS UNISON University in Dehradun. It was a traumatic year, the year of the global Covid-19 pandemic and I was diagnosed with Covid. This meant studying both offline and online which requires mental preparation in advance of the situation. I worked hard to challenge that adversity, and received a gold medal in 2021. I can feel proud, more than ever, that I’m now following in the footsteps of the young Tibetan women who have inspired me so much as I have seen them bring change to our community.
I am planning to do further studies abroad and want to accomplish my aim to be a human rights advocate. It is important for me to grab any opportunity and to think positively and bigger in life. Meanwhile I am working at Lha Charitable Trust, one of the largest Tibetan social work NGOs based in Dharamshala. I have a close association with Lha: as a kid, I have memories of attending language classes here and during my college days, I accompanied international student groups visiting Lha as part time assistant group leader. I see my work with Lha as valuable experience towards fulfilling my ambitions to work in the field of human rights.
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