Tibetan actor passes away in tragic accident in eastern Tibet

By Lobsang Tenchoe

DHARAMSALA, July 1: Tibetan actor, Gurgon Kyab of “Himalaya” and “Le voyage aux Pyrénées” fame has passed away in a tragic road accident.

Gurgon Kyap, a celebrated Tibetan actor died in a fatal motorcycle accident in Labrang in the traditional Tibetan province of Amdo on June 29.

Tibetan activist and actor, Kyap moved to Paris, France in 1998 following the success of his film ‘Himalaya: The Childhood of a Leader’.

At the time of his tragic demise, he was on a month long visit to his family in Labrang in eastern Tibet, according to reports circulating on social media.

The passionate actor’s fans and followers were taken aback by his sudden death and took to the social media to pay their respect and sympathy.

Kyap, also a fearless activist, scaled the Chinese embassy’s wall in Paris and replaced the Chinese flag with the Tibetan national flag on March 2008 to express solidarity with fellow Tibetans in Tibet who were yet again on a national uprising against the Chinese government.