Tibetan Activist, 65, Resumes Solo Cycle Rally After Typhoid Setback
By Tenzin Chokyi
DHARAMSALA, 22 Oct: Veteran Tibetan activist Jamyang Tenzin, 65, resumed his 7th Tibet Awareness Solo Cycle Rally from Wani in Maharashtra on October 18, after recovering from a typhoid infection caused by contaminated rainwater during his stop in the town roughly two months earlier.
He had originally launched the rally on 6 July, marking the 90th birthday of the Dalai Lama, from the Bylakuppe Tibetan refugee settlement in Karnataka. Following the unexpected health setback in August, he is now back on his route and is expected to reach Dharamsala by 10 December, a date of deep significance in the Tibetan community as it marks the anniversary of the Tibetan spiritual leader receiving the Nobel Peace Prize.
Today, Tenzin is cycling along Baroda Road in Gujarat, having passed through Bharuch, steadily advancing toward his destination in Dharamsala, the official residence of the Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai lama, and the headquarters of the Tibetan government in exile.
Speaking to Tibet Express over a phone call, he shared that he had to return to his home in Dehradun to undergo treatment and recover from the illness. “After completing all necessary treatments and medical checkups over the past two months, I’ve now returned to continue the journey,” he said.
Under the campaign’s slogan, “No matter how happy life in a foreign land may be, one must never forget their homeland. Tibetans must stand united in solidarity,” Jamyang aims to express his deep gratitude to the Tibetan spiritual leader for his tireless efforts toward the spiritual and political well-being of the Tibetan people.
On his journey, Jamyang aims to raise awareness about the messages and lifelong work of the Tibetan spiritual leader, foster understanding of India-Tibet relations, and shed light on the grim realities inside Tibet under Chinese occupation.
Since 2022, he has covered over 10,000 kilometers across various regions and major cities of India as part of his cycling campaign to raise awareness about the Tibetan cause. The ongoing rally may be his last, as this campaign journey fulfills a promise he made to his late father: to continue advocating for the Tibetan cause until the age of 65, as long as his health permits.
Jamyang Tenzin’s return to the road, despite illness and age, reflects a life lived with unwavering conviction. True to the promise he made and the cause he stands for, his commitment serves as a quiet but powerful testament to resilience, duty, and deep-rooted belief in the Tibetan struggle.
