Tenzin Nyidon
DHARAMSHALA, Oct. 5: The Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC), the largest pro-independence organization in the Tibetan diaspora, elected its new leadership on Sunday in Dharamshala. The seven-member Central Executive Committee was chosen on the final day of the 17th General Body Meeting, the organization’s highest decision-making body, convened every three years, with nearly 200 delegates from 45 regional chapters participating in the election.
Tsering Choephel was elected as the new President, with Tashi Targyal, re-elected as Vice President, and Tenzin Lobsang serving as General Secretary. The other members of the executive committee are Tenzin Tsephel, Thupten Tsering, Ngawang Paljor, and Tsamchoe.
Tsering Choephel told Phayul that the first priority of the newly elected leadership is to seek the blessings of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to carry out their work for the greater cause of Tibet with renewed dedication. The TYC will be offering a long-life prayer to the exiled spiritual leader on October 8 here at Dharamshala, where its headquarters are based.
The newly elected TYC President said that while the new executive committee has not yet outlined specific agendas, their collective focus will be to work for the betterment of the Tibetan cause. Having served in the organization for over a decade, Choephel said that although China labels the TYC as a “terrorist organization,” it has never resorted to violence. “Our weapon has always been the pen and the truth,” he remarked. He reaffirmed TYC’s long-standing commitment, adding that the organization has consistently stood for Tibet’s independence and will continue to uphold and strengthen that principle, building upon the legacy of his predecessors.
During the General Body Meeting, a total of 26 resolutions were adopted. Among them was a proposal for the Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC) to convene its own Rangzen (Independence) Conference, parallel to the existing International Rangzen Conference, which has been voluntarily organized by Rangzen advocates and acticvists.
The 6th International Rangzen Conference, held in New Delhi in 2023, and the 7th edition, held in Toronto, Canada in 2024, were all convened without TYC’s involvement. Notably, no TYC representatives attended the conferences during the tenure of outgoing President Gonpo Dhundup, who served two consecutive three-year terms. However, several Members of the 17th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile and members of the Tibetan National Congress (TNC)—a political party with which the TYC resolved not to collaborate in 2013— participated in the Rangzen Conference.
Addressing the issue, Gonpo told Phayul that there is precedence for the TYC to organize its own Rangzen Conference while declining not to elaborate further on the context. He added that the decision reflected the collective opinion of the organization’s members and that the resolution was passed by a majority vote.
The TYC was founded on October 7, 1970, and is credited to having the most grassroots reach in the exile Tibetan community by an NGO, with 45 regional chapters worldwide and a self-declared membership of 30,000 people.
3 Responses
The Tibetan Youth Congress grew in prominence among the Tibetan exiles because the leaders of the organisation were die-hard Rangzen advocates. People like Lhasang Tsering, Godruk Kalsang, Tsewang Rigzin and Dhondup Lhader were inspirational leaders who devoted their life and livelihood for the independence of Tibet. Lhasang Tsering was told by the Dalai Lama to go abroad to become a doctor. He told Him, “ your Holiness, I would prefer to work for the independence of Tibet than be a doctor! I would rather work for Tibet’s independence and remain a pauper than be a doctored without independence”!!! It had dedicated leaders like him who have inspired his generation. Independence stalwart Jamyang Norbu spewed venom on the Chinese communist regime in his writings that had also inspired that generation. When demonstrations broke in occupied Tibet in September 1987 with Drepung monks storming the Lhasa Chinese Police station to release other monks from Chinese custody with Gan Jampa Tenzin raising his fist in the air, it sent a wave of Tibetan nationalism across the diaspora. Many young Tibetans were ready to sign up to fight or die for the independence of Tibet! The TYC was seen as the ultimate institution to channel their firebrand patriotism and membership of the TYC swelled! It was an institution that was feared by its detractors and admired by the exile community. Then came a rumour that was initially circulated in hushed voices that from now on “it is not allowed to talk about independence”. There was no announcement from Dharamsala nor from the Representatives of the Dalai Lama. It was announced in a discreet way. This was in 1990-1991. It was disconcerting and was a shock! It was very difficult to reconcile but there was nothing that could be done except as a talking point at tea stalls and restaurants. Until this time, the TYC was the champion of Tibetan independence movement and its words carried weight. It was looked up as the torch bearer of the Tibetan independence movement. When the Dalai Lama asked his followers to stop worshipping Shugden, some RTYC branches allegedly took part in the exorcism of Shugden which took the form of removing statues of Shugden. This was the first time, the TYC faced criticism for the alleged acts. Whether, they were true or not could not be ascertained. This was in 1994 at the height of the Dalai Lama’s stern words appealing those who propitiate to stop. The motive of the cadres who allegedly participated was obviously to support the Dalai Lama. THE TYC HAS ALWAYS BEEN LOYAL TO THE DALAI LAMA AND WENT TO SUCH EXTREMES TO DEMONSTRATE THEIR LOYALTY!!! In the year 2000, the newly elected leader went out of his way to clamp down hard on Rangzen advocates! (I am not mentioning the name out of fear that my piece will be dumped in the rubbish bin). The new leader went out of his way to attack Rangzen advocates with a vengeance and accused them of being worse than Shugden worshippers and smeared them with anti-Dalai Lama tag! Not only he personally attacked Rangzen advocates but used his attack dogs like the late Thinley Kalsang who made disparaging remarks about the then TYC President Tsewang Rigzin to soil his reputation. He also used his other attack dog, known as Sharchok Kukta to attack the TYC and its leaders with the same tone in his writings on the Tibetan language web Khabda! No matter how spurious their claims were but they gained credence owing to the blessing of the elected leader who were working on his behalf! You could see the disdain he had for TYC when he talked to them supposedly on behalf of the Dalai Lama. The Dalai Lama clarified that advocating Rangzen was not against his person. It was made through a short note that was hardly discernible on the Phayul Web and personally by the said leader himself! However, the damage was done! The power, prestige, reputation and standing of the TYC was in tatters! It is reported that Tibetan parents in Europe, took out their children from RTYC branches and branch leaders lost their legitimacy and the TYC branches were reduced to shadows of their past glory! So, those who are accusing TYC and its leaders of letting down the organisation should jog their memory and find out who was in fact responsible for the demise of the former TYC and its glory! Unfortunately, in present day exile life, sycophancy is rife. Expressing the truth is not seen as virtue but a vice. The outgoing TYC president did his best and restored some of its lost gloss especially with the three month bike-ride on the borders of occupied Tibet. All independence advocates wish the new TYC president, Tsering Choephel all the best to salvage the lost glory of a Youth movement that is vital for the survival of the Tibetan Freedom Movement! The good news is that it’s not only the TYC which is advocating Tibetan independence but there is བོད་རྒྱལ་ཡོངས་རང་བཙན་ལྷན་ཚོགས་ headed by the likes of Jamyang Norbu, Tseten Lhagyab and Jigme Orgyen which is looking promising and highly motivated people who are true believers in Rangzen. The TYC has been split into so called དབུ་མའི་གཞོན་ནུ་ which is an illegitimate child of those who sought to destroy Rangzen advocates. These marinated group further disrupted and diminished the standing of the TYC. Since, there are two groups of Rangzen advocates, attempts should be made to unify the two. Fierce Rangzen advocates Thuptan Chonyi and Tenzin Tsondue should try to bring the two groups together since both are well respected by both sides! This will make the Rangzen voice much more vocal which will be taken notice by the international community. The gallant fight of the Palestinian Resistant Movement has put their cause on the top of the international agenda through their sheer courage, dedication and sacrifice. It must be accepted that our fight is going to be no different from theirs. Both the Chinese and Israel are COLONIALISTS WHO STOLE OTHER PEOPLE’S LAND AND JUSTIFY THEM BY USING VIOLENCE AND INTIMIDATION AGAINST THE TRUE CUSTODIANS TO COWER THEM. WE MUST ADOPT THE MAXIM: BETTER TO DIE ON OUR FEET THAN LIVE ON OUR KNEES!
TYC is the most stable and reliable anchor of the Tibetan diaspora. I send my greetings and best wishes for the success of TYC under the leadership of new President Tsering Choephel la. My best wishes to outgoing President Gonpo Dhundup la and his team. VIJAY KRANTI
First of all, I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to the newly elected TYC Centrex Executive Committee led by Mr. Tsering Choephel. The Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC) has always been one of the most important and influential organizations within the Tibetan community. It carries a proud legacy of service, activism, and sacrifice for our national cause.
However, with great legacy comes great responsibility. For TYC to continue earning the trust and support of the Tibetan people, it must uphold the highest standards of integrity, unity, and accountability. As discussed during the recent TYC General Body Meeting (GBM), there has been a visible decline in public participation in TYC-led events and protests in recent years. This is deeply concerning, as public trust and engagement are the true lifelines of this organization.
The reasons behind this decline are not difficult to identify. Many Tibetans have expressed disappointment over the perception that TYC has, at times, been influenced or compromised by individuals with self-serving agendas. Such actions have undermined the credibility and noble image of this historic organization.
I was deeply disappointed to see individuals such as Tsewang Rinzin and Tenzing Jigme being given prominent platforms by TYC during the recent GBM. Many within our community vividly recall the controversies surrounding Mr. Tsewang Rinzin’s tenure as TYC President, during which internal divisions grew and an unfortunate remark caused great distress to His Holiness the Dalai Lama. These incidents left lasting scars within the organization and among its supporters.
Similarly, Tenzing Jigme’s prominence raises legitimate concerns. He joined TYC relatively recently, having previously been associated with SFT, and later advanced through RTYC Minnesota to TYC Centrex and ultimately to the Tibetan Parliament. His record as a parliamentarian, however, has left many in North America questioning his visibility and effectiveness. Despite the expectations of his constituency, his engagements have been minimal, and community participation during his visits has been notably sparse.
These examples highlight the importance of discernment in leadership representation. The credibility and moral authority of TYC depend not only on its mission but also on the integrity and track record of those it chooses to elevate. I strongly urge the new leadership to act with transparency, accountability, and fairness to restore public trust. Without the confidence and participation of the people, even a historic organization like TYC risks losing its relevance and power.
It is essential that the new leadership reflects deeply on these lessons and takes decisive steps to restore faith and unity among Tibetans, particularly the younger generation who once proudly stood behind the TYC banner. The organization must prioritize collective interest over personal ambition and ensure that its work always aligns with the aspirations of the Tibetan people and the guidance of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
I would also urge the new committee to be discerning in the figures it chooses to highlight or align with publicly. Leadership platforms should be reserved for those who embody humility, integrity, and a lifelong commitment to the cause, not those whose past actions have created division or controversy within our movement.
TYC’s strength has always come from its people, the volunteers, the supporters, and the countless Tibetans who see in it a reflection of their hopes and sacrifices. Without their trust and participation, no organization, no matter how historic, can remain effective or relevant.
Therefore, I sincerely hope that this new TYC leadership will take this opportunity to rebuild that trust, uphold the values that TYC was founded upon, and guide the organization back to its rightful place as a unifying and inspiring force within the Tibetan struggle. Thank you!
A concerned senior TYC member.