Tibetan Activist Completes Eight-Day Delhi–Dharamsala Run-and-Walk
By Tenzin Chokyi
DHARAMSALA, 29 Sept: Tibetan activist Tashi Thakchoe, 59, on Monday completed a Delhi-Dharamsala run-and-walk, arriving at McLeod Ganj Main Square after eight days on the road to raise awareness about Tibet and appeal for greater participation in the Tibetan freedom movement.
Thakchoe, a member of the Regional Tibetan Youth Congress (RTYC) Hunsur, began his journey from New Delhi on 20 September. After arriving in Dharamsala, he said he was relieved to have reached safely despite the challenges he encountered along the way.
He said he encountered individuals he described as being under the influence of drugs, as well as people who attempted to rob him, during the journey. He also fell ill at one point and had to receive intravenous glucose before continuing.
Thakchoe’s main appeal was directed at younger Tibetans, whom he urged to participate more actively in protests and campaigns for the Tibetan freedom movement.
“I see that the majority of people participating in protests and campaigns are elderly. Some even attend using walking sticks for support,” he said, urging younger Tibetans to take greater responsibility in the movement.
Thakchoe said his latest journey was part of his continued efforts to advocate for Tibet. He recalled walking from Bengaluru to Hunsur with friends, a journey that began on August 15 and took around four to five days.
He also recalled running from Hunsur to Mysuru, a distance of 44 to 45 kilometres, during a 12 September protest by Tibetans in Mysuru following the self-immolation of Tibetan activist and martyr Lobga Rangzen.
“I do what I can within my limited capacity,” he said.
Thakchoe’s understanding of Tibet is carried not only in what he knows, but in what he has lived as a Tibetan. Along his journey, he spoke with Indians about Tibet, sharing what he knew and appealing to them to use the term “Tibet-India border” rather than “Sino-Indian border.”
“I don’t really know much, but I talked about what I knew,” he said.
For him, these conversations, like the journey itself, were a way to contribute to the Tibetan freedom movement in whatever way he could.
Reflecting on the journey, Thakchoe said it brought both difficult and rewarding moments. Despite the challenges along the way, he said he was happy to have completed the journey safely and reached Dharamsala.
