The torch is traveling through India!

Récemment Ajouté

July 9 - August 7 — India »

The Tibetan Freedom Torch Relay has traversed India and made its triumphant arrival in Dharamsala. Read the most recent news articles here:

http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/City-NGO-takes-up-Tibetans-cause/339728/
http://www.phayul.com/news/article.aspx?id=22219
http://www.odishatoday.com/Orissa/Tibetan_Freedom_Torch_rally_200708-95642153687.html

Some previous articles from the beginning of the India leg of the Freedom Torch relay:

http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/uncategorized/tibetan-freedom-torch-to-arrive-in-india-july-10_10069534.html
http://www.calcuttanews.net/story/380285
http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/india-news/tibetans-exiled-march-with-freedom-torch-in-delhi_10070105.html
http://www.pr-inside.com/tibetan-exiles-carry-shadow-olympic-torch-r695896.htm
http://www.phayul.com/news/article.aspx?id=21913&t=1&c=1
http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/uncategorized/tibetans-run-relay-with-freedom-torch-in-delhi_10069985.html

10th July:

The Torch Arrives Delhi on 9th at ITCO office. TFT Relay began its India Leg on 10th July. The Relay was conducted from Samtha Sthal to Jantar Mantar, about 6kms run. Celebrities, sportsperson, politicians, activists of India and Tibet namely Nafisa Ali, Kirti Azad, Kiran Rijiju, Lama Chotsphel Zotpa, Core group Chair person Mr. N.K. Trikha were gathered at Jantar Mantar followed by crowd of around 100 people from different backgrounds joined the Relay. Dozens of media people came and spotlight the events. Small program was held at Jantar Mantar with speeches from guests and speakers.

11th July: Jaipur Relay

In Jaipur, around 20 people gathered including Rashtravati Muslim Manch president Dr. Manohar Chowdhary and his family, Vice Secretary of Muslim Manch Masood Taqvi, Himalayan Parivaar president Vijay Shankar. These distinguished guests were present during the relay from Choti Chopad to Tripolia Bazaar via Sangeneri Gate which covering around 2kms. news 24 (video news) and other newspapers including Rajasthan Patrikar, Dainik Bhaskar have done the coverage of the events. Left Jaipur at 2am to reach Bhopal via Kota.

12th July: Unhappening day at Kota. Had to wait for a day to catch train to Bhopal the same night of arriving Kota. Booked a hotel and booked a ticket to Bhopal via train. Left Kota at 2am due to 3hours delay of Jodhpur-Bhopal Express.

13th July:

Reached Bhopal at noon by the time the program has finished. Did some photo shoot with Ashok Patil, Secretary of Buddhist Society of India and others at Karuna Budh Vihar, Near Jain Mandir, Bhopal. Left Bhopal around 6pm to Ahmedabad via Rajkot Express train.

14th July:

Reached Ahmedabad early in the morning around 8. Met Jyotikar ji with Baroda Students at Train Station. Left for Vadodara right away by bus with students. Reached Vadodara at around 2pm and started a relay and photo sessions with media around 5pm at Maharaja Sayaji Rao University Campus. Around ten different media people were present. Booked bus to Mumbai and flight from Mumbai on 16th morning.

15th July: Mumbai Relay

It was done in haste and in urgent. Called Kalianpur through whom got Metok’s number. Met Metok, a student in St. Xavier’s College in Mumbai. Discussed the things and got the police permission late and called media around 7pm. TOI, Indian Express, Asian Age, ETV and others were present. Four Tibetan and 2 Indians did the relay at Azad Maidan to Central Railway Station. Few metres distance relay.

16th July: Kochi Relay

Left Mumbai at around 7:15 am to reach Kochi, Kerala around 8 via Air Deccan. Reached Kochi, Lobsang la and Namgyal la, business men came to pick me up to a hotel room, Saas Hotel in Kochi. Had Breakfast with them and rested for some time. Met JDU Kochi president, Mr.A S Radhakrishnan and other people and discussed the event.

Started Relay at around 5:30pm after Mr. S V Krishna Iyer, former Supreme Court Judge and former home minister of Kerala officially lighting the Freedom Torch at his office in Sathgamena followed by speeches from Mr. A S Radhakrishnan, JDU Kerala President; Mr. Thampan Thomas, Ex. M.P., H.M.S. All India President; Sreedharan Therambil, Chairman of human rights samithi , Kerala State and other JDU executives include V N Chandra Senan, Ousep Anto and M P Joy. Dozens of media people gathered at the spot. Started relaying for 3kms from Sathgamena to M.G. road about 2kms. Small speeches were given by each people after the oil lamp was lit on the pavement to represent hope and support for Tibetan cause. Finished the program around 6pm. Reached the Ernakulam Train Station at 7pm for Chennai Mail to reach Chennai.

17th July, 2008: Chennai Relay

Asha Reddy ji and Tennor came to pick me up at Railway Station, Chennai Eknore. Rested for some time. Discussed the things and made press release and things to be released. Everthing was ready by the time we left at the spot. Did some repairing work for the torch. Tibetan students and Tibet supporters in Chennai welcomes the Tibetan Freedom Torch, relays from Monroe Statue, Anna Salai to State Guest House, Wallajah Salai about 3-4kms. Photo sessions before the relay started. Everybody present wore White T-Shirts and short pants. After reaching the spot, Sang Memang Langlu, Tse Mey Yonten, Tibetan and Indian National Anthem. The event was simple, peaceful yet effective and powerful. Left Chennai by 11pm.

18th July,2008: Bangalore Relay

Reached Bangalore around 5:30am. Made Press Release and discussed about the program with RTYC Bangalore executives. The relay is scheduled at 5pm from Banappa park, Majestic to Gandhi Statue, M G Road covering around 3kms. The program is jointly organized by different Regional Tibetan Youth Congress and Regional Women’s Association in the vicinity of South India. Around 200 people from heads of different organizations and members, students, business men and women, employees and others. One Indian group performed music and dance at the Gandhi Statue, M G road. Around 10 medias highlighted the event. It lasted about 2 hours guarded by police men and women.

19th July, 2008: Hyderabad Relay

Around 11:30 the relay started at Goshala near Hussain Sagar where H.Holiness consecrated the Buddha’s Statue. Around 60 people joined the relay. Students of RTYC Hyderabad, FOT member Dr. M N Rajesh, SFT member, local Tibetan business people, Leaders and members of Jai Bharat organization and local Indians relayed the 2kms from Goshala to Inder Park. They all ran this small distance and gathered at Inder park where they hold small function. The function began with national anthem of Tibet and India followed by speeches and H.Holiness prayer ‘Tsemey-yonten. I was asked to brief the event with introduction of Tibetan Freedom Torch. Around 10 media people were present. The whole event lasted about 2hrs.

20th July,2008: Nagpur Relay

The opening ceremony began at Dhiksha Bhumi with scarf ceremony to the statues of Buddha statue and Dr. B R Ambedkar, then National anthem of Tibetan and Indian, followed by Oath at about 1:15pm. The relay got started at around 1:30pm from Dhiksha Bhumi towards RBI Square via Lokmat Square/Chowk extending till 3:00 pm. More than 40 people joined the event including students of Nagpur University. Among the presence were Mr. Puram Meshram, Dy. Registrar, Nagpur University; Mr. Rabindra Singh Babra, Congress member; Mr. Jai Kumar Ramteke, Vice president Youth congress. ITFS, Nagpur; RTYC and RTWA, Bhandara jointly organized the relay and event.

21st July, 2008: Raipur

The small relay was conducted at National Institute of Technology (NIT), Raipur. Students in the engineering college from different states of India jointly welcomed the torch in Raipur. The event took half an hour for the completion and later had little time discussing the Tibet Issue.

22nd July, 2008: Bubaneshwar Relay

At around 5:30pm, the event started with the welcoming of the torch with dozens of people with polices and medias awaiting the event just outside the Ram Mandir. After the gathering, the photo shoots took place after which the relay got started and the march went on for nearly an hour till Post Master General Office, Vidhan Sabha infront of legislative assembly of Orissa via Lower Janpath and Master Canteen and finished at P M G. The procession was followed by anthems and prayers. The whole event took about one and a half hours time.

23rd July, 2008: Ranchi Relay

Only two people were there, Anil Kumar, ITFS and Amar Nath Raj, Founder, ITFS and presently Gen. Secretary, Bharat Tibet Sahyog Manch, Jharkhand. The press conference was conducted at a hall in Ranchi with around 10 media. It rained cats and dogs outside. The conference went smoothly.

24th July, 2008: Kolkata

The previous day there was press conference. No events took place. People from Gangtok, Sikkim, especially RTWA executives and member came to join the relay. We all stayed at Metro-Politan Hotel, Drakers lane; looks good from outside yet world apart once walk inside the lodge. Lots of street foods and Chandni Bars and Hotels nearby.

25th July, 2008: Kolkata Relay

People from different groups, Tibetans, Nepalis, Indians, all gathered at Academy of Fine Arts at around 2pm to welcome the Tibetan Freedom Torch and relayed together for 5kms distance Torch relay of 1hour till Metro Channel via Maidan.The relay organized by Advocate Ruby Mukherjee of Ganasamannay; SFT, Kolkata; RTWA, Gangtok and various other groups and supporters and total of not less than 150 joined the relay. The peaceful relay went on with slogans and patriotic songs. At Metro Channel, small stage was set up where all of us sang National anthems and songs and raised slogans after which young guys of SFT, Kolkata, presented a small skit. All the media started taking the pictures once the play got started. The atmosphere was tense and dramatic. Chinese Uniforms beating red robed monks and suddenly all the media taking shots of the dramatic short play. The whole event lasted till 4:00pm. It was a success.

26th July, 2008: Siliguri Relay

After reaching at the New Jalpaiguri, Siliguri early in the morning, I was to aboard outside railways station. One guy was awaiting me at the railways station with his driver and white jeep. We directly moved to Himalayan Buddhist Cultural Association Monastery and School campus, Salugara where banners hanging everywhere welcoming the Tibetan Freedom Torch. Dozens of cars, jeeps and small trucks ready to relay. Hundreds of people gathered at the ground where H.Holiness the Dalai Lama once gave Kalachakra Initiation. Sonam Lhundup, gen. secretary, HBCA, was busy telling people to go here and there, do this and that and all. The procession started around 10:30am from Malguri, Siliguri with dozens of camera men and media people taking shots to prepare the next morning newspaper. Then the press started asking questions to the coordinators and representatives of different organizations and groups. The 7kms distance torch relay got started at 11am from Malguri to Salugara. The roads full of vehicles, people and animals. Around 500 people joined the relay. Actually what happened was people from Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Gangtok were to join the relay the same day but due to some problems at their localities, they were not able to join the relay. Otherwise around 2000 people were expected to join the relay. Then at end of relay, the closing ceremony took place with speeches and thanks giving ceremony. Among the relayers were sportspersonalities, actors and actresses, dignitaries from Mr. Sherab Tharchin,M.P. TGiE; representatives from Tibetan settlements in Gangtok, Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Ravangla, Sonada; SFT, TYC, HIMCAT, HBCA, ITFS and school staffs and students and common men and women.

28th July, 2008: Patna, Bihar Relay

Tens of people from different walks of life joined the Tibetan Freedom Torch relay in Patna. The 4kms distance torch relay, between 11:00am to 12:30pm, from JP Memorial at IT Golamber to Gandhi Memorial at Gandhi Maidan was joined by prominent people from different walks of life. The relay was coordinated by ITFS, Patna, Bihar. Among the relay were prominent people from Mr. Ramchandra Khan, Chairman, ITFS, Patna Chapter, Bihar; Dr. Gopal Pd. Sinha, noted physician, chairman of Citizen’s Forum for National Integration, Patna; Mr. Sanjai Upadhyay, National Director, Nirman Kala Manch, Professors, Mr. Manoj Kumar, ITFS and social activists were present. After the procession Mr. Ramchandra Khan proceeded with the introduction of Tibetan Freedom Torch and his views on Tibetan people’s rights and Tibet issue. Dozens of media spotlighted the events.

29th July, 2008: Bodh Gaya.

The relay started at around 10:30am from 80ft Buddha Statue where the lighting of the torch took place and several media people spotlighted the event. After three rounds of circumambulation by 50 people including monks and nuns, Tibetans and Indians, marched 2kms distance towards Maha Bodhi Temple. Small prayer ceremony was done by monks and nuns to benefit all. Prof. Rana Pratap, HOD Geography Department, Magadh University, Bodh Gaya, Bihar conceded the event with speeches and followed by word of thanks from myself and Namgyal Monastery and Kirti Monastery people. The event finished by 12 noon.

30th July: Sarnath, Varanasi Relay
The Relay started at 5:30pm from the Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies, Sarnath, Varanasi with the few runners passing the torch one to other, reaching the Mahabodhi Temple within few minutes. Once reaching the Mahabodhi Temple, huge crowd of around 400 awaiting the Torch with medias all around. The relayed slowed down its pace while music band played the music and the opera or dance group performing the fantastic Opera Dance. At the end point, they have set up the Stage to deliver speeches. Eminent people from Vice Chancelor of CIHTS and other high ranking Indian personalities and professors delivered their speeches. The program ended till 7:30pm with everything from relay to the end of the speeches going smoothly.

31st July: Lucknow, UP
The Relay started from the Residency, old monument in the city of Lucknow, the capital city of Uttar pradesh around 4:15pm. Among the presence were Mr. Hemendra Pratap Singh, President, Lucknow Journalists’ Association and executive member of Bharat Tibbat Sahyog Manch; Mr. Sanjay Shukla, executive member, Bharat Tibbat Sahyog Manch; Mr. Ram Pratap Singh Chauhan, Advocate, High Court, Lucknow and so many media personalities and advocates.The Relay finished around 5:15pm. Around 50people gathered and joined the relay.

1st August: Dehradun, Uttranchal
Once reaching the Gandhi Park in the heart of Dehradun, huge crowd of above 1000 Tibetans and Indians warmly waiting for the TFT. Speeches were delivered by different heads and leaders of different organisations. The mayor of Dehradun gave his eloquent speeches whole heartedly welcoming the Tibetan Freedom Torch and assuring his support for Tibet cause and Tibetan people’s rights and few high ranking Indians presented their speeches. I presented the statement and oath. Huge crowd from women to men, kids to old, all started running the 5kms distance from Gandhi park to Gandhi park via fewsquars/chowks. The event was full of drama, energy, slogans, songs and sweats. That was it. The event started at 11 am and lasted for 3 and half hours till 2:30pm.