A Quest for Permanent Market for Tibetan Sweater Sellers in Delhi

15th November 2016

Himalayan Culture Foundation

Delhi: Mr. Lobsang Phuntsok Pontsang, The Director of Himalayan Culture Foundation personally visited the Tibetan Shopkeepers who were affected by the massive fire at Lal Qila Market. He expressed his profound sadness over the incident, which left Tibetan Sweater Selling refugees in debt estimated around Rs. 120 million. Mr. Pontsang provided 1.4 Lakh for immediate reconstruction of the Market with a personal initiative to request Indian Government for a permanent market for Tibetans in Lal Qila, Delhi and to reduce the debt they had to the Indian merchants.

As per the reports, the fire broke out around midnight of 7th November 2016. Due to the combustible nature of goods at the shops, the entire market consisting of 138 shops was charred in the fire. Mr. Pontsang mentioned, “Where ever we Tibetan reside, we are the same follower of His Holiness The Dalai Lama and we six million of Tibetans are one family. We should stand with unity and dignity in both good and bad times. It was a great disappointment when that sad news about the fire reached me.”

For more than Six decades, Tibetans in India had been selling sweaters for their livelihood as per the Laws of the Indian government. “ As a refugee, it’s really hard as their life depends only on the four to five months of selling sweaters, So here I am taking an initiative to request the Indian Prime Minister Mr. Modi for a permanent market for Tibetans in Lal Qila.” He promised to Tibetan sweater sellers to reduce their burden and work for their future.