"Ancient Wisdom for the Modern World"
(Friends of Tibet: Kerala, April 13-16, 2011)

With the Guide and Visionary: The Men-Tsee-Khang sponsors and supporters from India and Europe with His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama during the 50th Anniversary of Men-Tsee-Khang in Exile on March 22, 2011. Dr Tsewang Tamdin (Director, Men-Tsee-Khang), Tsering Dorjee (General Secretary, Men-Tsee-Khang), B Ramakrishna Raju (National Alliance for People's Movements), Dr Nandita Krishna (Director, CPRA Foundation), Sethu Das (President, Friends of Tibet: India), Sanjay Shah (Swastik Enterprises), Ravi Thakur (Ibex Jispa), Jaya Maheshwari and others. (Photo: Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama)

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Dharamshala and Kochi: "The contended attitude of one's achievement is the main hindrance in one's own progress," said His Holiness the Dalai Lama while lauding the achievements the Men-Tsee-Khang in exile. He was addressing a gathering a more than 400 people consisting mainly of doctors, staffs and sponsors of Men-Tsee-Khang from India and Europe during the 50th Anniversary of the institution on March 23, 2011 at Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh. The Dalai Lama also asked the staffs of Men-Tsee-Khang, the Tibetan Medical and Astrological Institute in exile to focus on advancing in the field of research and analysis in collaboration with other medical systems and by sharing of traditional understanding and knowledge with others.

Soon after the week-long celebrations, discussions, exhibitions and seminars at Dharamshala, the seat of the Tibetan Exile Government, the Tibetan doctors from different parts of the country returned to their respective camps and settlements to continue their work. Dr Dorjee Rapten Neshar and Dr Tara Ngawang Lodoe once again travelled to Kerala from Himachal Pradesh where they spend four consecutive days every month treating patients mainly from the state. The seventh Tibetan medical camp was held in Kochi from April 13-16, 2011. The camp was held at the usual venue of Ashirbhavan, Ernakulam and was attended by many who had been discarded by modern medicine. The volunteers of Friends of Tibet (Kochi) were always there to receive and attend the patients and transact their ideas to the doctors and vice versa. With the increasing number of participants with every camp, one can assume that the people of Kerala have started their acquaintance with the Tibetan medicines.

The last day of the medical camp was a memorable one with the presence of Dr Vandana Shiva, social and environmental activist and an advisor to the Tibetan Government-in-Exile in India in their endeavor to promote and convert the farming land given to the Tibetan farmers organic replacing modern farming methods of chemicals and fertilisers. During her informal visit, Dr Shiva shared her thoughts on various relevant topics with Friends of Tibet and Men-Tsee-Khang representatives.

Friends of Tibet Campaigners and Men-Tsee-Khang staffs with Dr Vandana Shiva, social and environmental activist during the 7th Tibetan Medical Camp at Ashirbhavan, Kochi on April 16, 2011. Founder of Navdanya, Dr Shiva is an Advisor to the Tibetan Government-in-Exile in India in their endeavor to promote and convert the farming land given to the Tibetan farmers organic replacing modern farming methods of chemicals and fertilisers. (From Left: VJ Jose, Tsering Sonam, Ngawang, Sethu Das, Dr Dorjee Rapten Neshar, Dr Vandana Shiva, Dr Tara Ngawang Lodoe, Sreejith Sasi and Eldtho Mathew.)