January 7, 2011 – Dharamsala
His Holiness The 17th Gyalwang Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje inaugurated the 5th All India Tibetan College Students’ Meet that began Thursday at Sarah College for Higher Tibetan Studies (CHST). More than 90 Tibetan student representatives from 25 different colleges and educational institutes in India are taking part in this 4 day conference.
His Holiness also inaugurated the student body’s website www.tcsc.net. Also present at the event were Kalon Tripa Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche and Deputy Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament in exile Dolma Gyari, and Ven. Jamphel Drakpa, Principal of CHST, were other dignitaries present at the function.
“Education should not be restricted towards bringing material development solely. It must bring about inner development and equip an individual with better judgment of things in life. It is also very essential that in this present modern time, one must preserve its identity and remain connected to one’s roots,” said His Holiness who falls in the same age range as the participants.
The Conference is a purely a college students’ initiative held consecutively over the years since the first one was held at Indian City of Mangalore in 2006, hosted by Regional Tibetan Youth Congress Mangalore.
“The primary goal of holding such a meeting every year is to bring together Tibetan college students scattered across India, disconnected from one another. These meetings are characterized with ‘self-realization and self-responsibility’ as a guiding principle to the student participants in understanding their role in the Tibetan freedom movement,” said Lungtok, the Chief Coordinator of the Conference.
