Speaker Launches a book on ‘Modern Tibet History and Gyalo Dhondup’
Dharamsala: Today, the Speaker of Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, Pema Jungney launched a book with two volumes on modern Tibet history, and Gyalo Dhondup authored by Sherab Dhargyal at his chamber.
The book comprises more than 600 pages with 82 chapters covering events of modern Tibetan history such as the British expedition to Tibet, treaties signed between Tibet and other nations, the Seventeen Point Agreement, etc, from the time when Britishers first got into contact with the 6th Panchen Lama of Tashi Lunpo Monastery to the times of Lo Dreskzuk, a Tibetan voluntary force.
Considering the current situation of restricted people’s gathering due to the pandemic caused by Wuhan originated Covid-19, the Speaker Pema Jungney on the request made by Lhadripa Kelsang Dhamchoe, Namkha Tenzin, Tabey, and Sherab Tharchin launched the book in a simple virtual book-launch ceremony at 10:30 am today. The Speaker acknowledged the authors’ effort to bring important historical events of Tibet from the relation between the British and Tibet in the 1700s to the times when a voluntary force called Lo Drekzuk was established in exile. As history is extremely significant for a country and its future generations to learn from past mistakes, achievements, negligence, etc, through the books of history like this. History holds importance only when it is narrated accurately without any misleading, as there are many cases when history is distorted to show only the good things. As history is defined as dealing with facts and not with fiction, it should be narrated exactly in the same way the events have occurred.
The Speaker further lauded the efforts and the amount of time spent by the author of the book on writing the two volumes and advised youngers to write down events in the form of history in the future.
Sherab Dhargyal, the author of the book, was born in 1967 in Chenza Tsongon in Amdo province to Father Logen and Mother Late Phagmo Thar. Starting his education at the early age of seven and later joined Tsa Merik Middle School. In 1985, he further continued his education in monastics in Tashi Choeling and excelled in many of the traditional Tibetan educational fields. In 1988, he came to exile in India and continued his education from Dharamsala and Drepung Monastery in South India. While studying he also did teaching and was an editor at Tibet Times magazine. In 2000, he went to the US and continued his exploration of western culture and wrote three books called ‘A story of travel to the west’ and many others. Until today there are 20 books written by Sharab Dhargyal.
