Tibetan Activists Begin Nationwide Rally on Anniversary of Dalai Lama’s Nobel Peace Prize
Tenzin Chokyi
DHARAMSALA, 10 Dec: Veteran Tibetan activist Jamyang Tenzin, now 65, along with his comrade Lodoe Palden, a former member of the Special Frontier Force (SFF), launched a nationwide Tibet awareness motorcycle rally from Mcleod Ganj today, as Tibetans across the world celebrate the 36th anniversary of the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet.
Both activists, in their 60s, aim to inspire Tibetan youth through this campaign to actively advocate for the Tibetan struggle and engage in the movement for Tibetan freedom. As they travel across the Indian subcontinent, they will raise urgent awareness about China’s ongoing assault on Tibetan identity.
“The campaign stands as a patriotic and selfless initiative to defend truth, protect Tibet’s cultural identity, and strengthen the longstanding Indo-Tibetan bond,” the activists stated in their press statement.
They will highlight the alarming nature of China’s colonial-style boarding schools, where over one million Tibetan children are forcibly separated from their families, culture, religion, and mother tongue, as part of Beijing’s broader assimilation policies in occupied Tibet.
Through grassroots activism, the campaign aims to urge both the Indian government and the people of India to recognise Tibet’s historical independence, while simultaneously expressing deep gratitude to India for offering refuge to Tibetans and providing them the space to rebuild their communities in exile after China’s complete occupation of Tibet in 1959.
In their press statement, the two veteran army personnel and activists argued that such recognition would not only bolster India’s national security and regional stability but also contribute to the global effort to preserve Tibet’s unique cultural and political identity.
The nationwide ride is also being held as a tribute to mark the 90th birth anniversary of their spiritual leader, the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet, in honor of his lifelong commitment to compassion, nonviolence and universal responsibility.
Jamyang Tenzin, who recently completed his seventh and final solo cycling rally for Tibet in September 2025—the year he turned 65—continues his advocacy efforts alongside his ex-army friend Lodoe Palden, former president of the Bir Regional Tibetan Youth Congress.
He had promised his late father that he would dedicate himself to advocating for Tibet until the age of 65, health permitting. During his final solo rally, Jamyang faced serious health challenges in Maharashtra, where he contracted typhoid. After a two-month recovery, he completed the rally and reaffirmed his commitment to raising awareness about occupied Tibet in every possible way, for as long as his health allows.
Today’s nationwide ride marks his first advocacy campaign since fulfilling the promise he made to his late father.
