Tenzin Nyidon
DHARAMSHALA, Aug. 19: Braving torrential monsoon showers, scorching heat, and challenging uphill stretches, a group of ten Tibetan activists completed a gruelling cycle rally of more than 360 kilometres from Paonta Sahib to Dharamshala over six days, arriving in the hill town on Wednesday.
The cyclists received a warm welcome by members of the Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC) and the local Tibetan community upon their arrival. Soaked by the rain and visibly shivering after their arduous journey, the volunteers, dressed in black T-shirts emblazoned with the message, “Pawo Lobga Died for Free Tibet”, raised slogans calling for Tibetan independence and a free Tibet.
The cyclists included TYC Paonta President Ngawang Paljor, along with Jampa Yeshi, Namgyal, Tsering Wangyal, Namgyal Tashi, Ngawang Tenpa, Tenzin Yarphel, Karma Tashi, Tsering Tenzin, and Tenzin Tsering. Organised by the Regional Tibetan Youth Congress, Paonta, the rally was held in memory of the late Tibetan independence activist Lobga Rangzen, whose 49th day since passing will be observed by Tibetans worldwide tomorrow (August 20).
Speaking to media representatives after reaching Dharamshala, Ngawang Paljor said the cyclists had deliberately timed their journey to coincide with the 49th-day observance. The group will participate in a joint prayer service and peaceful march organised by the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) from the Main Tibetan Temple to the Police Ground in Dharamshala.
He said the campaign was also aimed at drawing greater attention to issues concerning Tibet and protesting against China’s newly implemented “Ethnic Unity and Progress Law,” which Tibetan activists and exile leaders have criticised as another instrument of assimilation.
The rally, he said, was not merely a long-distance cycling expedition but an effort to carry the Tibetan cause directly to people and the media along the route. The volunteers interacted with local communities and media organisations, including holding a press conference in Chandigarh to highlight their concerns.
Reflecting on the challenges encountered during the six-day journey, he said the cyclists endured intense heat, persistent rainfall and strenuous climbs while covering approximately 40 to 50 kilometres each day. Despite the physically demanding conditions, all ten volunteers successfully completed the journey.
Ngawang Paljor also expressed gratitude to India and the Indian people for their decades-long support and solidarity with Tibetans living in exile.
With the 49th-day observance scheduled for Thursday, he stressed that the Tibetan community should not allow the momentum of activism to fade after the commemorative day. He urged Tibetans to continue organising campaigns and activities according to their individual capacities, saying such efforts would help preserve the message and final appeal made by the late Tibetan martyr Lobga Rangzen, who called for Tibetan independence and urged Tibetans to remain united in their struggle before setting himself on fire in front of the United Nations Headquarters in New York on July 2, 2026.
