TIPA celebrates golden jubilee at Dharamshala

Dharamshala, Dec.6 (ANI): Tibet Institute of Performing Arts (TIPA), a staunch proponent of the preservation and promotion of traditional Tibetan performing arts, celebrated its golden jubilee here from this past week.

The four-day long festival started with great fanfare and enthusiasm on December 02.

Established in 1959, the institute has championed the cause of Tibetan culture and tradition for fifty years.

TIPA has, till date, trained 483 young Tibetan men and women as full-fledged artists. Every Tibetan music and dance teacher working in 81 different schools across India, Nepal and Bhutan have graduated from the institute.

The event saw convergence of many Tibetans, foreigners, senior administrative officials - including members of the Tibetan Parliament in Dharamshala who arrived for the festivities.

"We are commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Tibet Institute of Performing Arts. The performance which we are showing to the audience tonight will remind them of the year 1959. All the people performing today have really worked hard to prepare for the performance," said an instructor, Samdel, one of the artistes performing in the festival.

Organizers took pride for the role TIPA has played in 50 years to preserve and promote the culture.

"With the blessings of His Holiness Dalai Lama and with good support from governments of India and Europe and USA, we are very much optimistic that we can celebrate in Lhasa in the near future. This is the best way to show our culture to different people... we have shown our culture not only to locals but in different parts of the world," said Wangchuk Phasur, Director of the Tibet Institute of Performing Arts.

Tibetans living in exile hope to celebrate their culture in Tibet once they attain autonomy and sovereignty. (ANI)