Pictured above: Representative Penpa Tsering with former Representative Mr. Kaydor Aukatsang
WASHINGTON: Mr Penpa Tsering, former Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament, formally took charge as the new Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama at the Office of Tibet, based in Washington DC, from outgoing Representative Mr Kaydor Aukatsang.
A brief ceremony of handing over was held on 26 August 2016. Mr Tsewang Phuntso, Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama at Office of Tibet, Brazil, attended the ceremony as the official witness. The Tibetan community of Washington also organised a farewell cum dinner reception for both the outgoing and the new representative.
The new Representative was greeted by the staff of the office of Tibet and delegations of the Tibetan community and associations.
In his farewell remarks, Mr Kaydor Aukatsang, expressed his gratitude to the staff and public for their cooperation during his time in office and urged them to extend the same towards the new Representative. He also emphasised Tibetan unity and urged them to unitedly work for the Tibetan cause with wholehearted dedication. Mr Aukatsang will leave for India to serve in the Social And Resource Development desk of the Department of Finance.
Mr Penpa Tsering, in his inaugural remarks, said, “Every representative of the Office of Tibet hold office in the name of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and have special responsibility to uphold the reputation.” He paid gratitude to His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s constant guidance and blessings towards the Tibetan people and movement.
Mr Kaydor Aukatsang will take his new charge in Department of Finance under SARD in October 2016.
Mr Penpa Tsering was born in 1967 at Bylakuppee, south India and is a Do-mey member of the Tibetaan Parliament. He studied at the Central School for Tibetans, Bylakuppe and topped the merit list in Class XII. He graduated with Economics Major from the Madras Christian College, Chennai. His work experience includes running a private export expertise and a restaurant.
During his student days, he served as the General Secretary of both the Tibetan Freedom Movement and Nigerian Tibet Friendship Association. Later he served as the General Secretary of the Central Executive Committee of Do-mey. He then worked as the Executive Director at the Tibetan Parliamentary and Research Centre (TPPRC) at New Delhi from 2001-2008 before being sworn in as the speaker of the 14th parliament in 2008.
He was earlier elected to the twelfth, thirteenth and fourteenth Tibetan Parliament-in-exile. He was elected as the Speaker of the fourteenth Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile with Mr Karma Choephel on 31 May 2006. He got re-elected to the Fifteenth Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile again with Speaker’s post in 2011.
Mr Kaydor Aukatsang assumed the post of Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to the Americas in September 2013.
Before taking up the post, Mr Aukatsang served as a Special Adviser to Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay, the democratically elected leader of the Tibetan people.
Prior to that, Mr Aukatsang also served as President of the Tibetan Association of Northern California; Development Director at the Natural Capital Institute; and Philanthropic Adviser with the Tides Foundation.
Mr. Kaydor Aukatsang holds BA degree from St. Stephen’s College, University of Delhi, India, and MA degree in International Business and Politics from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University, Boston, USA.
