Tibet’s Light of Truth awardee Lowell Thomas Jr passes away

5th October 201611th November 2016 Tenzin Gaphel 3147 Views

By Lobsang Tenchoe

DHARAMSALA, Oct 5: American politician and writer Lowell Thomas Jr who was a recipient of International Campaign for Tibet’s (ICT) 2005 Tibet’s Light of Truth Award passed away on Monday.

(L to R) Elie Weisel, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, NED Chairman Carl Gershman, and Lowell Thomas Jr. (Washington DC 2005). Photo: informationliberation.com

Thomas Jr was 92 when he passed away at his home in Anchorage, his daughter Anne Donaghy revealed.

In 1949, he was invited along with his father by the Tibetan government (Ganden Phodrang) to make a film with a hope that it will help persuade the US government to defend Tibet against the Chinese Occupation.

The father and son duo were the last westerners to reach Tibet’s capital, Lhasa before the Chinese occupation. The resultant film, ‘Expedition to Lhasa’ was broadcast years later by CBS (Columbian Broadcasting System), but his book about the expedition, ‘Out of This World’, published in 1950 became a bestseller.

The Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama on Nov 15, 2005 bestowed Tibet’s Light of Truth Award on Lowell Jr.

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