News

Change has come to Tibet - some of it good, some not so good, reports GOH SUI NOI of The Straits Times China Bureau who visited the autonomous region recently.

Kangchen Tsering, 4, above, presents a scarf as a gift to Buddhist teacher Samdhong Rinpoche Friday at Oak Grove School in Ojai. Rinpoche, 64, speaks to students below. Rinpoche will speak again at Oak Grove School today.

Engulfed in a maroon robe on a sun-splotched wooden stage at Oak Grove School, Samdhong Rinpoche used gentle motions of his hand to select students whose arms were raised with questions.

The Dalai Lama (Photo by STEVE PYKE)

In his youth, Lhamo Dhondrub enjoyed repairing clocks and watches at his home in Taktser in northeastern Tibet. That early affinity for technology and the sciences continues today, although he is now known by another name: His Holiness Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama.

WOMEN'S EDUCATION: Adult illiteracy has been reduced to 43.8 per cent from 95 per cent in the 1950s - and the focus of the literacy campaign is women and girls in rual areas. (AFP)

Lhasa city : Burgeoning market

Kesang Dhundup, a typical Tibetan farmer, grows vegetables, barley and other food grains in his farm land. Dhundup, 58, who lives in a village 50 kilometer east of Lhasa, the capital of Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR)

Terming the denial of visa by the Russian government to Buddhist spiritual head the Dalai Lama as ''most unfortunate'', an official of the Tibetan-government-in-exile here today said the decision was taken under pressure from China.

Karma Choephel and Karma Yeshi drew in crowds of 120 plus who gathered to hear our distinguished speakers elaborate on contemporary Tibet in an event organised by Students for a Free Tibet –UK (SFT UK) and SFT Dharamsala.