Prepared for long fight against coronavirus: Tibetan govt-in-exile

Like offices everywhere, the Tibetan government-in-exile is following the work from home norm.

The Central Tibetan Administration complex here bears a deserted look, the schools run by it are shut and its website recommends topics for essays that children can write at home.

The Tibetan community here was jolted last month by the death of one of its members, a 69-year-old who became the first person in Himachal Pradesh to succumb to coronavirus. He had returned from a trip to the US.

The CTA quarantined his family members and the death prompted local authorities to seal off McLeodganj, a tourist hub in Dharamshala where the Tibetan body is headquartered. According to the CTA, nobody else in the community is known to have contracted the virus.

The CTA had earlier asked the 1.4 lakh-strong Tibetan community across India to follow guidelines from the Centre and state governments to fight coronavirus, stressing the need to stay indoors.

The body represents the interest of the Tibetan refugee community in India and is unofficially called a government-in-exile. Tibetans spiritual leader the Dalai Lama is also based in McLeodganj.

With the lockdown coming into force, the CTA's own staff members are working from home. Meetings, training programmes and workshops are off. They have also pledged a day's salary to the prime minister's relief fund.

In March, The CTA issued guidelines, calling on Tibetan monasteries, schools and elder care homes in India, Nepal and Bhutan to cancel public gatherings for one month.

CTA Home Secretary Tsewang Dolma says guidelines to fight coronavirus are being followed across 36 Tibetan settlements and 41 old-age homes in the country. We are prepared for a long battle against the disease, she says.

CTA president Lobsang Sangay has sent a message across to students to make constructive use of the lockdown imposed due to the Wuhan-originated virus, referring also to online classes available to them.

He also advocates the use of traditional Tibetan medicine as part of the fight against COVID-19, which doctors say has no known cure. Lobsang says Tibetan medicine help build immunity.

Dolma says the medicine is being provided by the CTA, particularly to people in the community who are over 65.

The Tibetan community is appreciably maintaining proper discipline and abiding by the rules fixed by the administration for the curfew, says Onkaar Nehria, vice-president of the Dharamshala Municipal Corporation and the councillor from McLeodganj.

Many Tibetans in McLeodganj run shops, homestays and street stalls and business has taken a big hit.

But Tenzin, a tourist guide, says, God has given us a short interval to get in touch with our community. This period will end soon.

Shopkeeper Lobsang says, We have spent most of our lifespan in India, so we are basically Indians. We have pledged to go with the decisions of PM Narendra Modi.

This virus will not stay long in this country, he predicts.