Bylakuppe 14 Sept: Karnataka Co-operation Minister Shri B.J. Puttapaswamy inaugurated the community center built by Lugsam co-operative society that morning. This community center is the biggest community hall ever constructed by a Tibetan organization in exile without relying on foreigner’s donation and sponsorship.
As many as 20 dignitaries’ from various offices in Mysore district and over 700 share members of the society attended the occasion. Also present during the function were Kasur Tsering Phuntsok, Chief Representative, Bangalore, FTCI CEO and Representatives from Hunsur and Kollegal. Indian dignitaries who attended the occasion were former MLA, Joint Registrar, Mysore, President and Coordinator of Indo-Tibetan friendship society, Bylakuppe, representatives from monasteries, schools, local assembly, hospital, camp leaders, FTCI staff, Chairman and Secretaries of 5 Tibetan co-operative societies in Karnataka and many others.
Mr Pema Delek, Chairman of Lugsung Samdupling cooperative society, said that the society has built the community center to facilitate settlement people in holding official functions, meetings, training programs, weddings, cultural events and so on.
Shri Puttapaswamy said, “I am pleased to inaugurate the community center”. He praised the achievement of the Tibetan cooperative and said that the cooperative has set a model exemplary for other societies in Karnataka. The Chief Guest underlined several beneficial schemes like interest subsidies, agriculture loan, Yeshesvani healthcare scheme and business loans from Karnataka Government for cooperatives and its share members.
Mr. Tashi Wangdu, the then Representative of Lugsam Tibetan Settlement and Mr. Pema Delek, Chairman of Lugsam Co-operative Society initiated this community center project in 2008 after seeing the indispensable need of a large community center for this largest Tibetan Settlement in exile with an initial seed funding of Rs. 15 Lakhs donation from the late HH the Penor Rinpoche. This hall was built at an estimated cost of Rs. 65 Lakhs and can house over 2000 people contrary to the previous hall that accommodate only 200 people.
