Tibetan Government In Exile - Dharamsala, India Central Tibetan Administration (CTA)

Tibet In Exile

The Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile
Instituted in 1960, the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile is the highest legislative organ of the Tibetan refugee community. The creation of this democratically elected body has been one of the major changes that His Holiness the Dalai Lama has brought about in his efforts to introduce a democratic system of administration. The Parliament consists of 46 members. U-Tsang, Do-tod and Do-med, the three traditional provinces of Tibet, elect ten members each, while the four schools of Tibetan Buddhism and the traditional Bon faith elect two members each. Three members are elected by Tibetans in the west: two from Europe and one from North America. In addition, one to three members with distinction in the fields of art, science, literature and community service are nominated directly by His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
The Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile is headed by a Speaker and a Deputy Speaker, who are elected by the members amongst themselves. Any Tibetan who has reached the age of 25 has the right to contest elections to the Parliament. The elections are held every five years and any Tibetan who has reached the age of 18 is entitled to vote.
Sessions of the Parliament are held twice every year, with an interval of six months between the sessions. However, His Holiness can summon special sessions of the Parliament in the case of national emergencies. When the Parliament is not in session, there is a standing committee of twelve members: two members from each province, one member from each religious denomination, and one member who is directly nominated by His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
As representatives of the people, the members of the Parliament undertake periodic tours of Tibetan communities to make an assessment of their overall conditions. On their return from these trips, they bring to the notice of the administration any specific grievances and matters needing attention.

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Central Tibetan Administration
The Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) was first established in Mussoorie on April 29, 1959, soon after His Holiness the Dalai Lama reached India. Then in May 1960 it was moved to Dharamsala, and is now located half way between Kotwali Bazaar and McLeod Gunj, in an area named Gangchen Kyishong. Gangchen Kyishong is a Tibetan phrase meaning "happy valley of snow".

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TSUGLAG KHANG (CENTRAL CATHEDRAL)
Though a plain and utilitarian substitute for its far more splendid namesake in Lhasa, also known as the Jokhang, the Tsuglag Khang is nevertheless fascinating and peaceful. Situated opposite the residence of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Tsuglag Khang is known to the local Indians as the Main Temple. It houses three main images: that of the Sakyamuni Buddha, Padmasambhava and Avalokitesvara, the Buddha of Compassion, of whom the Dalai Lama is the current emanation. The principal image is that of Sakyamuni Buddha, measuring three metres high and made of gilded bronze. To its right are the images of Padmasambhava and Avalokitesvara which are both facing Tibet.
The image of Avalokitesvara has a moving history. The original jewel-encrusted image in the Jokhang (Central Cathedral) in Lhasa, was commissioned by King Songtsen Gampo in the seventh century. Since then it had become an object of unparalleled devotion for people throughout Central Asia. When Red Guards ransacked the Jokhang during the Cultural Revolution, this image and others were tossed into the streets. From these heaps of broken statues and other religious artifacts, some Tibetans managed to salvage and smuggle out a wrathful and a peaceful aspect of the face images of the Avalokitesvara. Passing through many hands, these face images finally found their way to India via Nepal in 1967. One year later, another wrathful image of Avalokitesvara and one of Amitabha, the Buddha of Boundless Light, reached India through Nepal in a similar way.
These faces are encased as precious relics into the newly-sculpted image of the Buddha of Compassion in Tsuglag Khang. The new Avalokitesvara image, which was consecrated in 1970 (the Iron Dog Year of the Tibetan calendar), is made of silver and has eleven faces, a thousand arms and a thousand eyes.
In addition, Tsuglag Khang houses the entire set of the Buddhist canons, Kagyur and Tengyur. Kagyur is the direct teaching of the Buddha while Tengyur is the collection of later commentaries on Kagyur by Indian Buddhist scholars.

In 1992 a new prayer hall was added to the Tsuglag Khang complex with fine frescoes of the Kalachakra tantra cycle. The Central Cathedral is also the site of public prayers, sermons and certain religious festivities, including monastic dances. A constant stream of devotees turn prayer wheels as they circumambulate the cathedral.

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Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama
The Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama (OHHDL), known in Tibetan as Kuger Yigtsang, is the personal office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. It provides secretarial assistance to His Holiness and broadly speaking, is responsible for all matters related to His Holiness and acts on His behalf.

OHHDL's major responsibilities are:

1. Organization of His Holiness the Dalai Lama's schedule, including appointments and His travels within India and to different parts of the world;
2. Handling all diplomatic, governmental and personal correspondence, on behalf of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
3. Acting as the liaison between His Holiness the Dalai Lama and officials of the Tibetan Government-in-Exile.

When His Holiness is in Dharamsala, His schedule includes His daily religious practice as well as handlings matters relating to the Tibetan Government-in-Exile that needs His attention. This includes meetings with members of the Kashag (Cabinet) as well as senior Tibetan governmental officials. In addition to these, His Holiness takes the time to meet with as many people as possible.
Although in the initial years His Holiness had a flexible and relaxed schedule, with increased travel programs throughout the world since the mid-eighties the workload at OHHDL has also increased tremendously.
Meetings with His Holiness are generally divided into three categories: a) public audiences; b) private audiences; and c) media interviews.)
Public Audiences
When His Holiness is in Dharamsala, OHHDL organizes opportunities for public audiences at regular intervals. The date and timing of these meetings are decided as the situation permits and are normally done at short notice, two or three days before the actual audience.
During public audiences, individuals have the opportunity of greeting His Holiness in a receiving line. Given the nature of the meeting, individuals are not permitted to bring any articles, including bags, cameras or books, with them.
The Tibetan Branch Security Office [Tel: (01892) 21560] located in McLeod Ganj (near Hotel Tibet) coordinates requests for the public audience. People attending these public audiences need to register in person at the Tibetan Branch Security Office. Foreign tourists need to bring their passports at the time of registration. The registration forms then need to be brought to the venue at the time of the audience for identification purposes.
Private Audiences
   Requests for private audiences are carefully screened and studied. Applicants are asked to provide detailed information on themselves as well as the specific reasons why they want to see His Holiness. Private audiences are usually scheduled three times a week, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. In general requests for individual meetings need to be made far in advance. We will be unable to entertain requests made at short notice.

Media Interviews
His Holiness also takes the opportunity to interact with members of the media. As there are many requests for private audiences we try to limit media interviews to one during an audience day. Members of the media need to submit their requests far in advance to provide time for their review by the Special Review Committee and if approved for scheduling.
Teachings
His Holiness gives several major Buddhist teachings throughout the year, both in India and abroad. For the latest schedule of His Holiness' public teachings.
Invitations
His Holiness the Dalai Lama tries to accommodate as many requests as possible for His participation in events throughout the world. These include invitations for various religious, social, cultural and political events. For those individuals or organizations outside of India who wish to invite His Holiness we encourage them to send their invitations through the office of the Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama (also known as the Office of Tibet) in their region. Since the representative offices are responsible for organizing the visits of His Holiness in their area, they would be in a position to provide more information about the feasibility of the requests. Upon acceptance of the invitations, OHHDL coordinates with the representative office the schedule of His Holiness the Dalai Lama during His trip.

Contact Address

Secretary
Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama
Thekchen Choeling
P.O. McLeod Ganj - 176219
Dharamshala, H.P.
India
Tel: +91-1892-221343, 221879
Fax: +91-1892-221813
Email: ohhdl@dalailama.com

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Tibetan Schools in Dharamsala

Tibetan Children's Village (TCV)
The Tibetan children's Village runs a chain of fifteen schools, with over ten thousand students, in different parts of India. The main village, known as the Upper TCV, is based on a hill two kilometres from McLeod Ganj. It educates and looks after the upbringing of about three thousand student, most of whom are orphans and new refugees from Tibet.
Upper TCV consists of thirty eight homes, four hostels and a baby room to care for months-old infants through to boys and girls of sixteen. It has modern school buildings ranging from nursery to high school, sports grounds, staff quarters, a dispensary, a handicraft centre, etc. These are spread over an area of about forty three acres.

Yongling School

The Yongling school was started by a young Tibetan social worker to look after the educational needs of kindergarten children before they are eligible for established schools like TCV. In winter, Yongling school also acts as a home to children whose parents go down to the plains of India to sell garments. This winter-oriented business is estimated to be the economic mainstay of approximately fifty percent of the refugee community. Another twenty percent are partially reliant on this business

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Central Tibetan Administration Contacts :

Secretary
Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama
Thekchen Choeling
P.O. McLeod Ganj - 176219
Dharamsala, H.P.
India
Tel: +91-1892-221343, 221879
Fax: +91-1892-221813
Email: ohhdl@dalailama.com
Website: www.dalailama.com

Secretary
Tibetan Supreme Justice Commission
Central Tibetan Administration
Dharamsala - 176215
H.P., India
Tel: +91-1892-225099, 224964
Fax: +91-1892-225099
Email: tsjc@gov.tibet.net

Parliamentary Secretary
Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile
Central Tibetan Administration
Dharamsala - 176215
H.P., India
Tel: +91-1892-222481
Fax: +91-1892-224593
Email: tibetanparliament@gov.tibet.net

Kashag Secretary
Kashag Secretariat
Central Tibetan Administration
Dharamsala - 176215
H.P., India
Tel: +91-1892-222218, 222713, 223546
Fax: +91-1892-224914
Email: kadrung@gov.tibet.net

PA to Kalon Tripa
Kashag
Central Tibetan Administration
Dharamsala - 176215
H.P., India
Tel: +91-1892-222218, 222713, 223546
Fax: +91-1892-224914
Email: katri-pa@gov.tibet.net

Chief Planning Officer
Planning Commission
Central Tibetan Administration
Dharamsala - 176215
H.P., India
Tel: +91-1892-222287, 223693
Fax: +91-1892-224914
E-mail: pc@gov.tibet.net

Secretary
Department of Religion & Culture
Central Tibetan Administration
Dharamshala-176215
H.P., INDIA
Tel: +91-1892-222685, 226737
Fax: +91-1892-228037
E-mail: religion@gov.tibet.net

Secretary
Department of Home
Central Tibetan Administration
Dharamsala-176215
H.P., INDIA
Tel: +91-1892-222214, 222412
Fax: +91-1892-225065
E-mail: home@gov.tibet.net

Secretary
Department of Finance
Central Tibetan Administration
Dharamsala - 176215
H.P., INDIA
Tel: +91-1892-223738, 222487
Fax: +91-1892-222349
E-mail: finance@gov.tibet.net
Website: www.paljor.net

Secretary
Department of Education
Central Tibetan Administration
Dharamsala - 176215
H.P., India
Tel: +91-1892-222572, 222721
Fax: +91-1892-223481
E-mail: education@gov.tibet.net
Website: www.sherig.org

Secretary
Department of Security
Central Tibetan Administration
Dharamsala-176215
H.P., India
Tel: +91-1982-222254, 224954
Fax: +91-1892-223038
E-mail: security@gov.tibet.net or dos@gov.tibet.net

Director
Research Centre for Tibet Affairs
Department of Security
Central Tibetan Administration
Dharamsala-176215
H.P., India
Tel: +91-1982-222403, 223556
E-mail: rados@gov.tibet.net

Director
Reception Centre for New Arrivals from Tibet
Jogibara Road
P.O. McLeod Ganj - 176219
Dharamsala, H.P.
India
Tel: +91-1892-221307, 220077
Fax: +91-1892-221307, 220077
Email: reception_center@yahoo.com

Secretary
Department of Information & International Relations
Central Tibetan Administration
Dharamsala - 176215
H.P., INDIA
Tel: +91-1892-222457, 222510
Fax: +91-1892-224957
E-mail: diir@gov.tibet.net

Manager
Narthang Press
Narthang Building
Central Tibetan Administration
Dharamsala - 176215
H.P., INDIA
Tel: +91-1892-222457, 222510
Fax: +91-1892-224957
E-mail: diir@gov.tibet.net

Secretary
Department of Health
Central Tibetan Administration
Dharamsala - 176215
H.P., India
Tel: +91-1892-222718, 223408
Fax: +91-1892-222718
E-mail: health@gov.tibet.net

Chief Election Commissioner
Election Commission
Central Tibetan Administration
Dharamsala-176215
H.P., INDIA
Tel: +91-1892-223693
Telefax: +91-1892-224909
E-mail: election@gov.tibet.net

Chairman
Public Service Commission
Central Tibetan Administration
Dharamsala-176215
H.P., INDIA
Tel: +91-1892-226240
Telefax: +91-1892-222328
E-mail: psc@gov.tibet.net

Auditor General
Office of the Auditor General
Central Tibetan Administration
Dharamsala-176215
H.P., INDIA
Tel: +91-1892-222211, 226232
E-mail: oag@gov.tibet.net

Department of Information & International Relations (DIIR)
Central Tibetan Adminstration
Dharamshala - 176215
H.P., India
Tel: +91-1892-222457, 222510
Fax: +91-1892-224957
Email: tneditor@gov.tibet.net ( DIIR Issues Press Identity Card for any event or Press or media conference of Dalai Lama )

Tibetan Computer Resource Center (TCRC)
Central Tibetan Adminstration
Dharamshala - 176215
H.P., India
Tel: +91-1892-222985
Fax: +91-1892-224957
Email: webmaster@gov.tibet.net

Tibetan Institues Contacts

Director
Library of Tibetan Works and Archive (LTWA)
Gangchen Kyishong
Dharamshala - 176215
H.P., India
Tel: +91-1892-222467
Fax: +91-1892-223723
E-mail: info@ltwa.net
Website: www.ltwa.net

Director
Men-Tsee-Khang
(Tibetan Medical and Astro Institute)
Gangchen Kyishong
Dharamshala - 176215
H.P., India
Tel: +91-1892-223113, 223222, 307068, 307069
Fax: +91-1892-224116
E-mail: tmai@men-tsee-khang.org or tmai@vsnl.com
Website: www.men-tsee-khang.org

Director
Norbulingka Institute
P.O. Sidhpur - 176057
Dharamshala, H.P.
India
Tel: +91-1892-246402, 246405
Fax: +91-1892-246404
E-mail: info@norbulingka.org
Website: www.norbulingka.org

President
Head Office
Tibetan Children's Village (TCV)
Dharamshala Cantt. - 176216
H.P., India
Tel: +91-1892-221348, 221680, 220356
Fax: +91-1892-221670
E-mail: headoffice@tcv.org.in
Website: www.tibchild.org or www.tcv.org.in

Administrator
Tibetan Delek Hospital
Gangchen Kyishong
Dharamshala - 176215
H.P., India
Tel: +91-1892-222053, 223381
Fax: +91-1892-222406
E-mail: delek@sancharnet.in

Information Sources : Offical Website of CTA

Offical Website of Tibetan Government in Exile

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