Dharamsala, November 4: Tibet's Government in exile on Wednesday launched its first local TV channel in collaboration with a local cable network operator here.

The official channel, run by the Department of Information and International Relations (DIIR) of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), will begin broadcasting programs showcasing various aspects of Tibet's culture, language, religion and history, and the education and health of Tibetans in exile.

Tibetan Prime Minister Samdhong Rinpoche officially launched the "Tibet TV" at a function held at the DIIR.

Rinpoche underlined the need to use the medium of television to highlight the identity and the civilisation of Tibet, which is being kept alive by Tibetans by the grace of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Kesang Yangkyi Takla, the Minister for DIIR, said the channel is non-commercial and aimed to keep the Tibetan community informed about the policies of Central Tibetan Administration.

According to her, the channel will also broadcast live telecast of the sessions of the Tibetan Parliament in exile and important functions of the exile administration.

It will carry announcements of the administration and telecast the programmes of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, including his teachings and speeches.

Tibet TV will also regularly show documentary films on Tibet from the CTA's archive.

Dharamsala, located in the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, serves as administrative capital of the exile Tibetan community. The Tibetan Government-in-Exile has been functioning here since the Dalai Lama and thousands of Tibet fled Tibet after Communist Chinese regime took complete control of Tibet in 1959.