LEH: The Ladakh Cultural Forum had its annual general body meeting on the other day at Dharma Centre in Choglamsar, Leh.
The meeting was chaired by Tsewang Paljor, the Dy. Secretary of the Ladakh Cultural Academy of Art, Culture, and Languages.
The Ladakh Cultural Forum President, Dr. Sonam Wangchok, opened the meeting by reading the forum’s three-year activity report. The cashier, Rigzin Angchuk, then presented the account statement for the forum for last three years.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Wangchok stated that the Ladakh Cultural Forum was established in 1976 by the artists and intellectuals of Ladakh, with the late historian Shri Tashi Rabgais serving as president.
The forum’s goal is to revive, preserve, and strengthen Ladakh’s rich cultural legacy, which is based on ten sciences (Rig-gNas bCu). Dr. Wangchok described the forum as the largest group in Ladakh, comprising scholars, artists, NGOs, village societies, students, and others working in the field of cultural development and preservation.
The meeting’s chairman, Tsewang Paljor, spoke to members as well, highlighting the forum’s prestige and expressing his thoughts and suggestions for forum’s future development.
Additionally, he assured full support and collaboration from Ladakh Cultural Academy of Art, Culture and Languages, U.T. Ladakh.
Then, the founder of the Himalayan Cultural Heritage Foundation, Dr. Sonam Wangchok, was re-elected as president, and Dr. Tsewang Gyaltsen was elected as general secretary, along with many other members of advisory and executive committees.
The ten sciences, or fields of study, that make up Ladakh’s rich culture are categorized into five major and five minor fields. Secretaries for each science have also been appointed.
The five major fields of study are Philosophy (nang don rigpa), Logic and epistemology (tshadma rigpa), Grammar and Literature (sgra rigpa), medicine (gsowa rigpa), and arts and Crafts (gzo rigpa).
The five minor fields of study are astronomy and astrology (skar rtsis rigpa), poetry (snyan ngag rigpa), rhetroric (sdeb sbayor rigpa), lexicography (mngon brjod rigpa) and drama and dance (zlos gar rigpa).
Upon being re-elected, Dr. Wangchok gave the assurance that the Ladakh Cultural Forum will take the lead and ensure that it would serve as a liaison between the stakeholders, the U.T. Administration and LAHDC for culture related issues.
He concluded by thanking the Cultural Academy of Art, Culture, and Languages U.T. Ladakh and Ladakh Gonpa Association (LGA) for providing support and collaboration with the forum’s activities.
The outgoing vice president, Venerable Lobzang Nyantak, emphasised the value of team spirit and urged the new members to work together closely for the forum’s development.
Later, a discussion was also held and during which the members expressed their opinions, concerns, and suggestions.
Among the new members appointed in the executive committee are: Sonam Tsering, Diskit Dolma, and Tundup Dorjay for Vice President; Tsewang Rigzin and Phuntsog Angmo for Media Secretary; and Rigzin Angchuk and Thupstan Tundup for Cashier.
The secretaries for the ten sciences are Dr. Thupstan Nurboo, Ven. Chinba, Ven. Tashi Dorjay, Tsetan Angchuk, Tsering Angdu Lonpo, Noor Jahan, and Jigmed Lhanzes.
