Someday we will plant a flag on Tibets soil

BANGALORE: Thupten Ngodup was a cook and cow herder in the Dip Tsechokling monastery situated in Tibet. On April 27, 1998, he set himself ablaze in Delhi and died holding his  hands up in prayer and chanting for a free Tibet. On Monday, Tibetan students from around the country gathered in Bangalore to remember his sacrifice and the sacrifice of many more oppressed monks and Tibetans who have set themselves on fire, protesting against Chinese oppression in the lost country. The 6th annual Tibetian College Students Conference started with the gathering placing Tibetan flags on  a map of Tibet made out  of twenty tonnes of soil from Tibet brought to India by New York-based artist Tenzin Rigdol.Speaking at the occasion, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister S Suresh Kumar said, “I am sure a day will come not too far from now when we will be able to plant a flag on the soil of  Tibet, in Tibet.” He reiterated the BJP’s support for the cause and stated that the state government would do anything in its power in order to support the Tibetan students settled  in Karnataka. Story of ‘Asha Aunty’The conference also sought to recognize the contributions of Aasha Reddy, fondly called by many Tibetian students in India as ‘Aunty Aasha’ to the cause of a free Tibet by presenting her the ‘Martyr Thupten Ngodup’ award. Aunty Aasha was introduced to the Tibetan cause by Nyima Tsam who was studying with her daughter and insisted that she attend a students meeting.  From then Aasha Reddy never looked back and has contributed selflessly to various events around the country related to Tibet. She looks after protest marches, college admissions, internships, medical treatments, cultural programmes, celebrity interactions and acts as the local guardian to scores of Tibetan students studying in Chennai. The ConferenceOrganised entirely with contributions by people and without funding of any kind, the 3-day conference  will seek to discuss issues like self-immolation and will feature talks by famous  Tibetian activists like Tenzin Tsundue Lak and Ven Tenzin Nyamdak.Also present at the  inaugural session were  Kalon Dickyi Chhoyang, Minister, Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), Dharamsala.