Tashi Topgyal, Sikyong candidate 2016
Photo: Contact/Lha
PROFILE:
- Born in Jangthang, Ladakh in 1965
Work History:
- Worked as shepherd in Ladakh until he was 16
- Joined the Indian Military in 1981, serving for 14 years until 1995
- Worked briefly as an Indian contractor
- Operated his own coal mining business
- Currently works on a project called “Nurse for Canada”, a programme that mediates between Tibetan nursing students and Canadian nursing positions.
Key Points:
- Improving settlement equality, sustainability and stability
- Educational reform
- Increasing community participation in public forums and political decisions
- Fostering a greater sense of unity within both the settlement community and with those inside Tibet
As the last to announce his Sikyong bid, Tashi Topgyal’s addition to the field of candidates has stimulated significant political discussion. Just a few weeks ago, the former shepherd made his formal debut into politics. Whilst he has long been vocal in the community regarding his political and social observations, his bid marks a step to formalise his ideas and get people’s attention. “I am standing for the post for awareness and to make people think and know about the issues I raised.“
The youngest of seven children, Topgyal spent his childhood as a nomadic shepherd in Ladakh before entering the Indian military at 16. For Topgyal, this transition was made more pronounced by the fact that he had never attended school. “When I joined the army, I didn’t know anything. People looked down on me, but even so I did well there”. Topgyal’s progression through the military ranks despite this lack of formal schooling is a source of pride for him. “ It makes me very happy, considering where I came from.”
It may come as no surprise then, that Topgyal’s top priority is improving the standard of and access to education within the community. He believes that quality education starts with quality teachers and as Sikyong he would increase the salary of the profession in order to attract the best staff for the next Tibetan generations. He would employ additional maintenance staff in TCV schools so that students no longer need to perform cleaning and food preparation work, and can better focus on their studies. Topgyal would also reinstall corporal punishment in Tibetan schools, in line with traditionally accepted methods of discipline. He believes that it was mistakenly discontinued in deference to Western traditions. “We don’t have to look [to] them [the West] for everything. We need to follow what is good for us.”
Another political priority is his longtime focus on community solidarity, which stems from his observations of settled Tibetans-in-exile and those newly arrived from Tibet. He identifies greater financial equality as a way forward. “A gap grew between people”he said and he wants a strong connection between different Tibetan groups.
The prospect of working within the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) seems to appeal to Topgyal. He wants to encourage all Tibetans to take a more active stance on political issues, in India as well as within Tibet. He believes that low participation in CTA public meetings and general affairs reflects the growing complacency in many Tibetans due to their increasing financial stability. Topgyal hopes to increase overall social participation in CTA projects that would improve society for all.
Tashi Topyal, Sikyong candidate 2016
Photo:YouTube
Topgyal advocates the Middle-Way Approach (MWA)*, believing that the active pursuit of MWA goals is the only way to improve conditions for the Tibetan community. “You just can’t raise your hand and say I support MWA. Or one can’t say that they worship it. Everyone has to work for it as much as you support the approach.” For Topgyal, this means improving the living, educational and economic standards of the Tibetan community. He believes that these improvements, as well as a greater sense of unity and trust in the community, will allow the CTA to negotiate with China from a position of strength. “Now China is a strong developing country. But while they develop, we too are developing. I will try hard and make sure to have the dialogue and resolve the issue while His Holiness is with us. Otherwise, I don’t believe in begging them to negotiate with us.”
Topgyal has received significant criticism on social media for his Sikyong bid, with people telling him that his bid is “an insult” because of his lack of formal education and political experience. “For someone like me standing for Sikyong post, my lack of education qualifications are a weakness” he acknowledges, “but I am using my other potential qualities and running for the post.” Topgyal maintains this sense of perspective when dealing with his critics. “We as humans should know the value of ourselves. Those people calling me such names are the ones who don’t know their values or who don’t give value to one as a human.” Topgyal maintains that he “did all this for the benefit of the Tibetan people and not for myself.”
*MWA is the official stance of the Central Tibetan Administration and seeks to negotiate genuine autonomy for Tibet under Chinese rule, not complete independence as advocated by Rangzen supporters.
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