By Phurbu Thinley
Phayul Correspondent

Dharamsala: April 18: Khawa Karpo-Tibet Culture Centre (KTC) today launched the web version (www.khawakarpo.org) of their popular Tibetan news periodical, Bod-Kyi-Bangchen (The Tibet Express) and, also announced the turning of the paper into a weekly publication henceforth to mark its fourth founding anniversary.

Tibet Express, more popularly known among Tibetan readers as Bod-Kyi-Bangchen, is the first independent weekly newspaper in the exiled Tibetan community although Bod-mi-Rawang (Tibetan Freedom), official publication by the Department of Information and International Relations (DIIR), is the only Tibetan newspaper published weekly so far.

At the inaugural function held here today at the Lhakpa Tsering Memorial Hall, KTC also released its first weekly edition of the Tibet Express.

The Tibet Express, initially started in 2003 as a fortnightly Tibetan language newspaper, was later published after every ten days since their second anniversary.

As part of the anniversary function, a 3-day workshop on “The role of Media and ways to improve it” is also being arranged for Tibetan media people beginning today. The workshop is funded by National Endowment for Democracy (NED).

Stressing on the important role free media can play in a democratic society, Mr. Rakesh Narayan, a local senior-advocate by profession and a long time supporter of Tibetan cause; spoke on the legal implications of the press freedom as enshrined in the Indian constitution here during the inaugural function.

While applauding the big stride the KTC has taken in a short span of time in the area of information dissemination in Tibetan community and for Tibetan cause, Mr Rakesh urged the KTC team to further scale greater roles.

The DIIR Secretary for Information, Mr. Thupten Samphel was the guest of honour during the opening function.

Mr. Samphel noted that the constantly evolving democracy in the exiled Tibetan community can be measured by the growing strength of the independent Tibetan Medias.

KTC charitable trust was founded in Dharamsala in 2003 by a group of Tibetans as a non-profit organization to intensify the ongoing Tibetan freedom struggle while at the same time promoting Tibetan cultural values.