'Son of Tibet' revels in plateau's bright future

Storyteller

Thubten Khedrup's objective as a political adviser is to tell Tibet's story to more people.

Anyone who intends to apply for a PhD or a postgraduate position supervised by Thubten Khedrup must meet his three requirements: know Tibet; thank Tibet; and serve Tibet.

"Serving Tibet does not mean they have to stay in Tibet forever. They can go anywhere after graduation. Wherever they go, they will tell stories of Tibet to help more people learn about Tibet," he said.

Tibetan people are living harmonious lives now. Public security in Lhasa is among the best in the world, according to Thubten Khedrup.

"In Lhasa, you don't have to carry your rucksack in front of your chest as people do in some other places," he said.

"People in Tibet respect doctors and teachers. You rarely see medical disputes here. Female taxi drivers dare to drive at midnight.

"As a Tibetan born in the early 1960s, my own story reflects Tibet's change and development over the past 60 years since the democratic reform in 1959."

Thubten Khedrup supervises nine PhD students from different ethnic groups.

Some of his previous students graduated from the postgraduate school of Tsinghua University, one of China's top schools, or prominent universities overseas, including the London School of Economics in the United Kingdom.

"To know Tibet well and tell Tibet's story well, I still have a long way to go," he said.