Six Kalons Sworn In to 17th Kashag, Portfolios Assigned
By Tenzin Chokyi
DHARAMSALA, 3 June: The six newly appointed Kalons (Ministers) of the 17th Kashag of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), also known as the Tibetan government-in-exile, took their oath of office today before Chief Justice Commissioner Yeshi Wangmo during a ceremony held at the CTA’s Sikyong Hall.
According to a circular issued by the CTA’s Media Coordinator, Tsegyal Chukya Dranyi has been assigned the Department of Religion and Culture, Palden Dhundup the Department of Home, Tsering Dhundup the Department of Finance, Ugyen Tenzin the Department of Education, Kunga Tashi the Department of Security, and Pema Tso the Department of Health. Sikyong Penpa Tsering will temporarily oversee the Department of Information and International Relations.
The appointments expand the composition of the 17th Kashag to six Kalons, while Sikyong Penpa Tsering will temporarily oversee the Department of Information and International Relations. During the previous term, Sikyong concurrently oversaw four departments in addition to his responsibilities as the head of the Central Tibetan Administration. The 17th Kashag also held its first cabinet meeting today at the Kashag Secretariat.
Speaking to reporters after the ceremony, the Kalons expressed their commitment to serving the Tibetan people and confidence in fulfilling the responsibilities of their respective offices. They stressed the importance of an effective administration at a time when Tibetans both inside Tibet and in exile continue to look to the 14th Dalai Lama and the Central Tibetan Administration for leadership.
“At a critical time, with His Holiness the Dalai Lama turning 91 this year and the situation inside Tibet remaining dire under Chinese rule, Tibetans place their hopes in His Holiness and the Tibetan government-in-exile. This makes the effective functioning of the administration more important than ever,” said Kunga Tashi, who will head the Department of Security and has served in the CTA for 38 years.
Several of the newly appointed Kalons emphasised continuity in governance and the need to build upon the work of previous administrations. Tsering Dhundup, who previously served as Secretary of the Department of Finance, and Tsegyal Chukya Dranyi, the former Cabinet Secretary, said their priority would be to continue and complete projects initiated by the previous Kashag while implementing new programmes under the leadership of Sikyong Penpa Tsering.
Echoing similar sentiments, Ugyen Tenzin, who will lead the Department of Education and previously served as a member of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile and Bureau Chief of VOA Tibetan, said he was committed to advancing the vision of the Dalai Lama and working for the welfare of Tibetans both inside Tibet and in exile.
Highlighting the importance of unity, Palden Dhundup, the new Kalon of the Department of Home, said his unanimous approval by all 45 members of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile sends a strong message to the Chinese government that Tibetans remain united beyond regional and sectarian differences. He previously served in the Department of Home for 28 years in various capacities, most recently as its Secretary.
Pema Tso, who will head the Department of Health and is the only woman among the six Kalons, expressed gratitude for the opportunity to serve in the Kashag. A former member of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile and former Editor-in-Chief of Tibet Times, she said the appointment carried particular significance for her as someone who arrived in exile from Tibet in the 1980s, decades after the first major waves of Tibetan refugees fled following China’s occupation of Tibet in 1959.
