Dharamshala — The Library of Tibetan Works and Archives (LTWA) on October 7 held a Photo exhibition titled 'Journey into Tibet with Lowell Thomas & Lowell Thomas Jr.' in Dharamshala, India.
Collaboration with Ms Anne Thomas Donaghy, the Photography Exhibition is featuring images taken by Ms Donaghy's father Lowell Thomas Jr. and grandfather Lowell Thomas Sr. during their visit to Tibet in 1949-50.
Ngodup Tsering minister of Education inaugurated the photo exhibition at the LTWA hall in Dharamshala, and Speaker of the Tibetan parliament Penpa Tsering and daughter of Lowell Thomas Jr, Anne Thomas Donaghy were among dignitaries who attended the historic photograph event.
The exhibition is the first-ever photographic exhibition of the photos taken by the duo during their visit and features some rare photos of pre-1959 Tibet providing rare glimpses of contemporary Tibetan historical representations.
"So today's exhibition is the result of a year's hard work to bring these pictures which had never been exhibited anywhere before. Our main objective was to displays these rare pictures of Tibet for the viewing of Tibetans and the friends of Tibet," said Ngawang Yeshi, General Secretary of the LTWA.
Coincidentally the opening day coincided with the 92nd birthday of Thomas Jr and an ecstatic Anne informed the media that her father was so happy to hear about the exhibition. "He is here with his heart," said Anne Donaghy.
His Holiness invited the father son duo who were radio broadcasters to Tibet in 1949. Anne recalled her father's words, saying "my father said he was so surprised when they had an audience with His Holiness. My father thought he would be very serious, but he smiled at them the entire time."
"His Holiness gave them a letter to carry back to the United States' president. The letter read, there are troubled times in this world, and we want the world to know that the Tibetans are an independent and holy people, and they wished the world peace."
She plans to exhibit the photos all over the globe but she said showcasing the pictures to the Tibetans is her top priority. When asked to pick a favorite, she picked the photograph of His Holiness smiling while seated on his throne, taken during her father and grandfather's audience.
The exhibition feature a compilation of 90 black-and-white pictures of pre-1959 Tibet prior to the Chinese invasion. An image of the travel document (Lamyig) issued by the Government of Tibet to the father-son photographer duo is also on exhibition.
Mr Thomas Sr was an American radio broadcaster while Mr Thomas Jr. is a photographer and a film maker, yesterday was his 92nd birthday.
The historical photographic exhibit is open until 21 October.
