Tenzin Nyidon
DHARAMSHALA, Oct. 23: Veteran Tibetan activist Jamyang Tenzin has resumed his seventh solo cycling campaign on October 18 from Wani in Maharashtra, after a brief hiatus due to health complications. The 65-year-old activist had originally launched the rally on July 6, marking the 90th birthday of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, from the Bylakuppe Tibetan settlement in Karnataka.
Speaking to Phayul, Jamyang shared that he had to suspend his journey in August after contracting typhoid, likely caused by contaminated water consumed during one of his stops. “I had to stop my rally and return to my home in Dehradun to undergo treatment, and the recovery took me almost two months,” he said.
Now back on the road, Jamyang is currently enroute through Godhra, Gujarat, and intends to continue his route through Rajasthan, eventually reaching Dharamshala. He expressed his aspiration to arrive by December 10, a day observed globally by Tibetans to commemorate the Dalai Lama’s Nobel Peace Prize award in 1989.
Throughout his journey, the activist told Phayul that he has dedicated himself to expressing gratitude to India, raising awareness about the deteriorating situation in Tibet, and educating locals about the historical ties between India and Tibet. He said his campaign is to inspire younger generations to contribute, each in their own way, to the Tibetan freedom struggle.
The veteran activist also extended heartfelt appreciation to the Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC) for its continued efforts to amplify the Tibetan cause through its own awareness campaigns. “I am always welcomed with open arms whenever I reach Dharamshala. I am deeply grateful to the TYC for their unwavering support and for keeping the Tibetan cause alive,” he remarked.
Jamyang’s solo-cycle rallies have become a symbol of perseverance and grassroots activism within the Tibetan movement. His earlier rallies have taken him across vast stretches of India—his first journey spanned 3,000 km from Dharamshala to Bodhgaya, followed by a second of equal distance from Bylakuppe to Dekyiling in Dehradun. His third rally covered 250 km from Dekyiling to Delhi, while the fourth took him from Khardung La in Ladakh to Dharamshala, spanning 800 km. His fifth campaign began at Tawang’s Urgenling, the birthplace of the 6th Dalai Lama, and concluded in Delhi, covering 2,500 km.
