Lobsang Nyandak throws his hat into Sikyong 2021 election
DHARAMSALA, 5 March: A former Kalon (Minister) of the Central Tibetan Administration(CTA) and the current President of New York-based Tibet Fund has thrown his hat into the ring for the election of Sikyong 2021.
Lobsang Nyandak became the second candidate to announce his candidacy for the upcoming Sikyong(President) election of the Tibetan-government-in-exile, officially known as CTA after he declared his candidacy by to run for the top office of the exiled Tibetans.
Gyari Dolma, another former Kalon of the CTA was the first to announce her candidacy for the Sikyong election. She declared her candidacy while speaking at a student body event in Delhi University’s Kirori Mal College on 17 Jan.
A Facebook page launched to start his campaign earlier this week on 2 March has declared ‘Together, we build Tibet’s Future’ as the former Kalon’s campaign motto.
He has promised “an honest, transparent and all inclusive administration” to run for the office.
“Yes, together we can make it happen. I promise to provide an honest, transparent and all inclusive administration,” read a message on the cover photo of the Facebook page created for his political campaign.
According to his campaign page, starting from his tenure as the General Secretary of the Regional Tibetan Youth Congress, Chandigarh in 1987, the former Minister has so far served the Tibetan people for over 30 years in various leadership positions.
Lobsang Nyandak, 55, has led the Tibet Fund as its president since March 2013. He has previously served as the first Director of the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy in Dharmashala when it started in 1996. The same year also saw him elected as the Tibetan parliamentarian to represent the province of Kham.
He has notably a Kalon of the CTA under Samdhong Rinpoche in 2001 at aged just 35.
The incumbent CTA President Dr Lobsang Sangay, the political head of the Tibetan people will complete his second term in office by the end of April 2021.
The 2021 Tibetan general elections will see Tibetans in exile elect their new CTA President and members of the 17th TPIE.