By Palki Sharma
New Delhi: There are approximately one lakh Tibetan exiles living in India. What conditions do they live in and have they been able to find opportunities in this country?
Tashi Lithong lives in a Tibetan refugee colony in the heart of the Capital. As India welcomes the Chinese President Hu Jintao, he is certainly not losing heart. He still dreams of a free Tibet.
Tashi, 45-year-old, has the same passion for Indian politics and the sealing drive as he has for the cause of the Tibetan people.
Tashi says, “We will return when Tibet is free.”
And talking about politics, Tashi has lots to say about the Chinese President’s India visit.
“Dalai Lama will go too, but it will be difficult without India’s help, “ he adds.
There is reason for Tashi’s bitterness. He has spent more than 20 years in India living in hope of returning to Tibet one day. But despite the yearning, Tashi and his wife think their stay in India is good for their son.
Tashi says, “He’ll say all of it belongs to us. He goes to school here and learns English.”
While in exile, the family has found ways to keep in touch with their roots. But Tashi hopes this won’t be his son’s only brush with his traditions.
