New Delhi — President Dr Lobsang Sangay was conferred with the prestigious "Mahatma Hansraj Gaurav Samman' award by Hansraj College, University of Delhi 'for his stellar contributions to the cause of Tibet as an expert on International Human Rights and Conflict Resolution.'
Top officials of the College and guests presented the award on the occasion of 70th Foundation day celebration of the college, in the presence of the Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju, an alumnus of the College, who was also conferred with the "Mahatma Hansraj Gaurav Samman" award.
The award citation also read 'We humbly honour our alum, who is a leading political figure in Tibet and pray for greater laurels and an even more esteemed future.'
The award was in recognition of the President of Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) as one of the most accomplished and illustrious alumnus of Hansraj College.
"For me to be here and to receive the award means a lot because this award reflects the generosity of Hansraj. Hansraj gave me the passion and freedom to do the things that I wanted to do for the Tibetan cause," President Dr Sangay said as he humbly accepted the award.
"I wasn't necessarily a good student and had been called in the Principal's cabin for lack of attendance. But I must confess my attendance was bad but for a cause; for Tibetan cause," said the President to a hall packed with dignitaries, students and faculty of Hansraj College.
According to the CTA's official website, "for most of his academic years in Hansraj, President Dr Sangay revealed he had been actively engaged in protests and activities for the Tibetan cause. Dr Sangay's alma mater also presented him with a framed copy of his admission form."
"If you combine the two attendance at Hansraj college and Chanakyapuri police station near the Chinese Embassy-where the protests were held- then my attendance would be 100 per cent," President said, drawing a thunderous applause from the faculty and students.
The President said he was fulfilling his academic requirement at Hansraj, at the same time, fulfilling the spirit of Mahatma Hansraj and Indian freedom fighters by protesting at the Chinese embassy.
"On a bigger level, this award reflects the generosity of India; this great country. Because no other country has done for Tibetan people and His Holiness the Dalai Lama than this great Government and People of India," said the proud President.
Stressing that the Tibetan movement was born on Indian soil and based on Indian ethos and spirit, Dr Sangay further said, "I just want to remind you all that the original made in India is the Tibetan movement. The cornerstone of Tibetan freedom movement is based on the Indian philosophy of ahimsa."
"Tibetan democracy is modelled on Indian democracy. Most of the present leaders in Tibetan Administration and movement were born, brought up and educated in India," Dr sangay said, adding: "Therefore we have to succeed and when we succeed, India will succeed".
Dr Priti Dharmara, an Associate Professor at Hansraj College said, "we are really feeling proud to have honored Dr Sangay on the 70th foundation day of the college, when we heard about his passion for the Tibetan movement and the ground for this passion is Tibetan movement, we really felt more proud."
Since its foundation in 1948, the college has produced notable alumni who are prominent leaders in their fields nationally and internationally. It eventually became one of the front ranking academic institutions in India.
Dr Sangay is the first democratically elected President (Tib: Sikyong) after handing over all his political powers to the democratically-elected leadership of the Tibetan Government-in-Exile in 2011, to prepare the community to carry on the freedom struggle without him. The Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, who has been leading the freedom struggle for a "meaningful and genuine" autonomy to Tibet from China for the past six decades. With a doctorate from Harvard Law School, he is now in his second term as President of the CTA.
Tibet was invaded by the Communist regime in China, starting in 1949. Since that time, over 1.2 million out of 6 Tibetans died as a direct result of China's invasion and continued occupation of Tibet, over 6000 monasteries have been looted and destroyed— Crimes against Humanity and Genocide include murder, massacres, torture, rape, starvation, extreme deprivation, forced marches, enslavement, brutal violence, and systematic extermination. The communist regime continues to call this a 'peaceful liberation', that the "Tibetans are living in a Maoist socialist paradise."
