Tenzin Nyidon
DHARAMSHALA, June 9: Tibetan parliamentarian Tashi Dhondup was sworn in on Monday as a member of the 18th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile (TPiE), filling a vacancy created by the appointment of former parliamentarian Pema Tso as one of the six ministers in the 17th Cabinet of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA).
Speaker Dolma Tsering Teykhang administered the oath of office at a ceremony held in the Parliament Hall, attended by members of the Standing Committee of the 18th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile.
The appointment was made in accordance with Article 57, Clause II of the Charter of Tibetans-in-Exile, which provides for parliamentary vacancies to be filled from the reserve waiting list maintained by the Central Tibetan Election Commission. Under the provision, the replacement is selected from among unelected candidates of the respective constituency based on the number of votes secured in the general election, with precedence given to the candidate receiving the highest vote tally on the reserve list.
The veteran parliamentarian’s induction follows the first session of the 18th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, held on June 2 and 3, during which Pema Tso was elected to the Cabinet, thereby vacating her parliamentary seat.
Representing Domey Province, the parliamentarian returns to Parliament with extensive legislative experience, having previously served as a member of the 15th, 16th, and 17th Tibetan Parliaments-in-Exile.
Speaking to media representatives following the swearing-in ceremony, he expressed gratitude for the opportunity to serve the CTA once again. He highlighted the increasingly precarious circumstances facing the Tibetan community in Nepal, characterising the situation as both urgent and complex.
Reflecting on his previous parliamentary tenure, he noted that whenever critical issues affecting Tibetans in Nepal arose, he had consistently raised them with the Parliamentary Standing Committee and the Speaker, regarding such advocacy as a core responsibility of his office.
Looking ahead, he stressed the need for a comprehensive and forward-looking policy framework to address the longstanding challenges confronting Tibetans in Nepal. He said sustained institutional engagement and strategic policy interventions would be essential to effectively respond to the community’s evolving needs and concerns.
Born on July 15, 1972, in Mustang, Nepal, to the late Serta Tashi Dawa and Tsering Pema, he has built a distinguished career spanning the hospitality industry, public service, and community leadership. Following his graduation in 1989, he worked at Hotel Mount Annapurna Pvt. Ltd. in Pokhara from 1990 to 2000. In 2000, he was deputed by the CTA’s Department of Finance to Hotel Tibet International Pvt. Ltd. in Kathmandu as Deputy General Manager and was promoted to General Manager within a year. He subsequently served at Hotel Gangjong Pvt. Ltd. and later as General Manager of Hotel Manang Pvt. Ltd.
In addition to his professional accomplishments, he has held several prominent leadership positions within the Tibetan community. He served as an Executive Member of the Regional Tibetan Youth Congress in Jampaling, Pokhara, from 1998 to 2000, and later managed the Tsering Elders Home in Kathmandu for eight years. He also served as an Executive Member of the 15th and 16th Central Domey Associations in Dharamshala and as Vice President of the Regional Domey Association in Nepal for six consecutive terms.
